


Vincit Qui Se Vincit

by spoilersweetie



Series: Amor Vincit Omnia [6]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Amor Vincit Omnia, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2018-03-03 03:00:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 78,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2835581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spoilersweetie/pseuds/spoilersweetie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to 'Amor Vincit Omnia'. AU set in Roman times.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to my AU fic 'Amor Vincit Omnia'. Read that one first :)

Emerging from his study with a vague headache, having decided to give his work a break for an hour, the Doctor heads through the house and pauses when he catches sight of the former empress of Rome leaning against a doorframe and gazing into the room in front of her with a contemplative expression on her face.

He steps up next to her, looking into the room with her at the little girl sat amongst a pile of books, a frown of concentration on her tiny face as she scribbles in a notebook. She reaches up with a small hand to shove dark curls out of her face and the Doctor smiles.

“How’s the new invention going?” River asks without turning to look at him.

He shrugs. “Slowly - could use your help actually,” he says and she nods.

“I’ll come sit with you in a bit.”

“Thought you two were outside,” the Doctor comments.

Next to him, River lets out a heavy sigh before replying. “I was trying to give her a sparring lesson.”

“I’m guessing it didn’t go well?”

River shakes her head. “She doesn’t want to learn to fight. She doesn’’t say but I can tell.”

The Doctor fights back a smile. “She is only six, dear,” he says patiently.

River shakes her head. “She won’t change. She’s too gentle natured - like her father,” she gives him a weak smile. “She’d much rather be inside with that pile of books you gave her for her birthday.”

The Doctor hums thoughtfully and rubs a hand over the small of River’s back. “Are you upset?”

She shakes her head. “No,” she says. “I’d love her to be like me of course but… all I want for her is what I never had; a choice to be whatever she wants.”

“And she’ll love you for it,” the Doctor smiles at her, stepping closer and moving his other hand to her stomach as he drops a lingering kiss below her ear. “Maybe you can train this one up to be your little warrior instead,” he says with a smirk as he smooths his hand over the very slight swell of her belly.

“Hmm,” River comments, placing her hand over his on her stomach and shooting him a wink. “One can hope.”

He presses a kiss to her lips. “We should start thinking names,” he comments after a moment’s pause.

River snorts. “I’m only two months gone sweetie.”

“Yes but last time you refused to even consider the subject until you went into labour and then you panicked because you were giving birth and we didn’t have anything to call it. So I’m starting work on you early this time round.”

She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, well I was a bit terrified last time, truth be told.”

“And you’re not this time?”

She shakes her head. “What’s one more, hm?”

“That’s my girl,” he places a grinning kiss on her lips which she returns before pulling away, rolling her eyes.

“Go check on dinner will you? I’ve left potatoes on.”

“Yes mistress.”

River bumps him with her hip. “Oh shut up,” she says as he leaves her with a wink.

She watches her daughter with a small smile on her lips for another few moments until she hears a knock on the front door.

“I’ll get it sweetie,” she calls out as she makes her way through the house and swings the door open.

She freezes, her mouth dropping open and eyes wide.

The elderly man standing on her doorstep shuffles, wringing his hands in front of him as he looks up at her with anxious eyes. He bows his head. “Hello my lady.”

Taking a sharp breath, River blinks, able only to stare for another few seconds before she finds her voice.

“ _Quintus!_?”

“It has taken me...two years to find you,” he stammers out, still wringing his hands. “You’re not an easy woman to track down.”

Swallowing, unnerved at the sight of her old advisor here on her doorstep so many miles and another lifetime away from Rome, River folds her arms around herself. “Why did you?” She asks with a wary frown.

“It’s… Rome, your high - er - my lady… the empire… it’s in grave trouble.”

“What?”

He takes a deep breath, tugging anxiously at his robe. “After you left the provinces were combined - I’m sure you heard - with Marcus Crassus as ruler… he died two years later. Murdered, actually and with no heir his killer - a tyrant named Tiberius took control.”

River frowns at the man. “That’s politics, Quintus.”

“Yes but - the man has no sense - things started going downhill fast… he’s brought Rome to its knees. The people are starving, the empire is bankrupt… what’s left of the army are weak and untrained - the city’s open to invasion and if that happens again Rome will fall…”

Jaw tight, River, although alarmed by the facts, shakes her head and looks away. “That’s not my problem anymore.”

“But your empire -”

“It’s _not_ my empire!”

“The people want you back - everyone wants you back. You’re the only one who could fix the mess he’s made of the empire. You were… a harsh leader, your majesty but you were a strong one. Rome was strong, rich, prospering. One would never walk the streets and see whole families huddled outside with no homes… children dying of hunger before our eyes - buildings crumbling - the palace, even, it looks -”

“Mummy!” A small voice calls out from behind River and her daughter appears. “Come see what I…”

Turning briefly to glance at her child as her voice trails off at the sight of the stranger at their door, River pushes her behind her, straightening as she faces Quintus again, taking in his wide-eyed expression.

“As you can see,” she says quietly, “I’ve moved on.”

Letting out breath and appearing to give himself a shake, Quintus offers her a tentative smile. “I never thought I’d see the day…”

“Yeah, well neither did I,” River murmurs. “Rome is no longer my concern,” she snaps, “Now please leave.”

“But - my lady, please -”

“River? Who is it?” The Doctor appears, faltering and double taking when he catches sight of the man at the door. He steps up behind his wife, staring.

Quintus offers him a small smile. “Hello again. I thought I might find you too.”

“Uh… hello? River?” He glances between the two, brow furrowed in confusion. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” says River. “Quintus was just leaving.”

“Rome needs her back," the older man interrupts. 

“What?” The Doctor questions.

“The empire is falling - the people are starving -”

“Goodbye Quintus.” She makes to shut the door but the Doctor quickly pushes it back open.

“Wait - what’s happening? River - don’t you think we should listen to him?”

“I have listened, and it’s not my problem anymore.”

“People are dying in the streets!” Quintus exclaims desperately. “There’s disease and famine - the city can’t afford food let alone medicine - rogue armies attack at will taking what they like - and the emperor just sits in his palace throwing party after party, executing any who try to reason with him… I’ve come to beg my lady to please come back… we need her. _Rome_ needs her… the city will fall and the people will die if it carries on the way it is…”

The Doctor swallows hard, his eyes wide and pained. “How would River fix that?”

“Exactly,” Snaps River.

Quintus gives her a weak smile. “Nobody has any doubt that you would find a way, your highness.”

“I’m not your highness.”

“But you are our only hope. We need the strongest leader ever to exist right now… and that’s you, my lady.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Quintus.”

“I speak the truth.”

She folds her arms and looks away, jaw tight. “And what makes you think I’d be accepted back with open arms? I _left. Eight_ years ago Quintus.”

“It is no secret in the city that everyone longs for the days when you were our ruler, your highness. The city was strong and prosperous. You brought order and gave the people protection. Now there is nothing but mayhem and -”

“It’s not my problem,” she snaps. “And it’s never going to be again. Now leave.” She turns away from the door, hand on her daughter's shoulder, “Come, my love, what was it you wanted to show me?” She says softly as she guides her away and disappears into the house.

The Doctor turns to look at Quintus and swallows. “It’s really that bad?”

“Yes,” the elderly man nods as he looks at him with pleading eyes. “She’s our only hope. Thousands will die - are already dying - men, women and children - and if the city’s invaded again -”

“I’ll talk to her,” the Doctor says quietly.

“Please, we need her...”

“Just - give me a few days, alright? I’ll try but - you know what she’s like when she sets her mind. And this isn’t easy for her.”

“I know.”

“Doctor?” Comes River’s voice from inside the house and he sighs.

He looks apologetically at the weary old man. “I uh… I’d offer you a place to stay but, she um…”

“It’s quite alright. I’ll find somewhere in the town.”

“Doctor!”

With a final nod to Quintus, the Doctor closes the door, perturbed as he makes his way back through the house to his wife.

\--

River will not speak of what transpired with Quintus for the remainder of the day. Seeing her old advisor has unnerved her, he can tell - and the knowledge of what has happened to her empire in her years of absence must be unsettling. He knows her well enough to guess she is bothered by the news, and the fact that she snaps at him every time he even attempts to breach the subject is confirmation.

He tries again when he slips into bed with her that night, suggesting they at least talk about what they’ve learnt - and gets an elbow in his ribs for his effort and a view of her tense back when she rolls away from him and stays there until, discouraged, he finally falls into an uneasy sleep.

He wakes some hours later to an empty bed, disturbed by the cool breeze lifting the hair on the back of his neck, and blinking blearily, he sits up, noticing the door to the small balcony adjoining their bedroom is open, translucent curtains dancing slowly in the gentle breeze. Sighing, he drags himself up, shoving a hand through his mussed hair as he wanders outside with a yawn, coming to stop next to River where she leans her elbows on the side of the balcony, gazing up at the stars above.

“You alright?” He asks.

“Fine,” she replies immediately.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

She shrugs.

“Want to talk now?”

She frowns. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

“River… Rome -”

“Rome is not my concern any longer, Doctor.”

“ _River_ …” He tries to keep his tone gentle to soften his harsh words. “Thousands of people are dying… don’t you _care_?”

She sighs. “Of course I care.”

“Then…”

“But it’s not my problem, Doctor. It’s sad, but it’s not my mess to fix.”

“But you _could_ , River. Fix it, I mean.”

She doesn’t reply.

“You know you could help them,” he presses on. “Running that empire is what you were good at - I mean… of course you’re good at a lot of things,” he quickly corrects and earns himself a smile. “I just mean -”

“I know,” she says.

He leans his elbows on the balcony next to her, gazing out into the distance.

“Don’t pretend you don’t miss it,” he says quietly. “I can tell, you know.”

She whips her head round to look at him with wide eyes. “You think I miss being the empress?”

He glances at her and she shakes her head.

“Doctor - I’m _happy_ with you - and Livia, you _know_ that. I love you both more than anything.”

“I know but…” He lets out a frustrated sigh. “We’ve never found what we’re looking for, have we?”

She looks away, jaw tight. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes you do.”

She doesn’t reply.

“It wouldn’t have to be forever, River,” he says again after a pause. “All you need to do is get the empire back on it’s feet. It… might be what you need. You left so suddenly - that night we ran away - one day you were empress of the Rome and the next you weren’t. Sometimes I wonder if a small part of you doesn’t wonder what would have happened if you’d never made that decision.”

“Stop it,” she says, voice a little choked before she swallows hard, and says clearer; “I chose you.”

“I know. And because of it your whole empire has suffered.”

He watches her carefully in the dark as she frowns into the distance.

“I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“I know.”

“It’s my fault.”

He shifts on his feet. “Not directly. But you can fix it.”   

A long pause follows his words and he looks out with River at the stars above them, shining brightly in the clear, still Italian night.

When she speaks finally, her voice is soft. “I’d be away for a long time, sweetie,” she says.

He blinks at her. “What?”

“Well… who knows how long it will take to get the empire back on its feet - months… maybe a year - maybe more…”

“No,” he shakes his head, taking her hands and making her look into his eyes. “River… we’re coming with you.”

“What?” She pulls her hands away. “Are you insane? No way!”

“You think I’d let you go in there on your own? Especially like this…” He places a hand on her belly and she bats him away crossly.

“There is no way I’m bringing Livia anywhere near Rome, Doctor - have you any idea how bloody dangerous it would be to bring my _child_ into the middle of that? She would be a target - the biggest weakness I’ve ever had. You and her would have to stay here.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“And what happens if you have this one while you’re away? You’d have a child there anyway - except you’d be on your own with nobody else to protect it.”

Clenching her jaw, River looks away from her husband. “This whole thing is a bad idea. I can’t go back there, Doctor - let’s just forget about it.”

He looks away from her, frustrated as he shoves a hand through his hair. “I don’t think I can.”

“Well you’re going to have to.”

He frowns. “People are suffering, River.”

“I know,” she snaps.

“So..” He takes her hands again. “Let’s help them. Let’s go back to Rome.”

She pauses, looking at him carefully for a moment with a frown. “You’re getting bored again, aren’t you?”

“Huh?”

“Come on sweetie… we’ve been here nearly a year now. I think that’s the longest we’ve stayed in one place. I recognise that look in your eyes.”

He shifts where he stands. “We stayed on the ship for three years,” he mumbles.

“That doesn’t count. We were in a different country every few months.”

He sighs. “It’s not that I get _bored,_ it’s just… it doesn’t feel right to settle. Nowhere really feels like…”

He trails off and River finishes; “Home?”

He glances at her and nods.

She sighs. “I know what you mean,” she mumbles, looking at her hands clasped together on the balcony.

The Doctor places his hand over hers.

“Maybe Rome would be good for us.”

“And maybe it would be bad,” she says warily.

“What do you mean?”

"What do you _think_ I mean? Have you forgotten what it’s like there Doctor? Why I left? I don’t know if I can be that person again.”

He squeezes her hands with his. “You don’t have to be; you’ve changed now, River. You have goodness in your heart - you can be a peaceful leader; a kind one.”

She looks away. “I don’t know if I can,” she mumbles.

“Of course you can. I believe in you.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t know if that’s possible. You don’t know what it’s like running an empire like Rome Doctor. You don’t understand.”

“I do,” he argues.

“And how do you think it would be for you going back there? You were a slave. Those that remember you aren’t going to accept you as something different.”

“A lot of time has passed, River.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“I don’t care,” he says, “I’ll deal with it. I just want to _help_ the people, River.”

“I know you do sweetie,” she says, “And so do I but -”

“So help them.”

She is silent a long while before she turns to him, tucking herself into his arms and pressing a kiss to his neck.

“I’m tired,” she says with a slight shiver from the cool breeze, and he wraps his arms tighter around her. “Let’s go back to bed.”

\--

They don’t speak again that night, but in the morning the Doctor is awoken early by the soft thump of something landing on top of him. He scrambles up, blinking at the empty bag on his legs and then at his wife.

“Pack your bags, sweetie,” she says, pulling another out and tossing that too onto the bed. “We’re going back to Rome.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the absolutely fantastic welcome back! :') So happy that so many of are so keen for this sequel, all the wonderful comments and kudos made my Christmas ^^ I couldn't do this without your support... hope I don't disappoint! Lol <3

 

The trip to Rome from the other side of Italy is long, and River has second thoughts many times along the way - the Doctor having to talk her round each time. Quintus had been informed as soon as they made the decision to return and sent a message ahead to Rome immediately - to the people he claims to trust there, whom, he has assured River, would be as glad as he for her return. River herself is dubious about there being anyone else in Rome at all who shares Quintus’ desire to see her back on the throne. He’d told them, when she questioned, that nobody else would go to look for her as they believed it would be a wasted trip; that even if she could be found she would have no desire to help. River wonders if they truly supported Quintus on his quest to find her as he believes or simply let him go because they didn’t care. This is something she knows she will only find the answer to upon arriving in Rome.

“If everybody hates this man as you claim why have they not simply killed him and been done with it?” She had questioned before he’d left.

“Nobody wants to take on the responsibility of leadership, my lady,” Quintus had shrugged. “It’s a dying empire. Nobody knows what to do.”

They’d let him ride on ahead, taking a day to pack their things and gather their savings, loading up a wagon hitched up to their two horses and setting off for Rome. Having moved and travelled many times in their years together, they have it down to an art and are on the road by the following dawn.

“We need to talk to Livia,” River whispers to the Doctor one night a couple of weeks into their trip, long after their daughter has fallen asleep snuggled in her little cot the other side of the small inn room they are staying in that night.

The Doctor rolls over to face his wife. “Yeah, I suppose we do.”

River bites her lip. Their daughter hadn’t questioned their trip - they’d moved around often, and the little girl hadn’t thought twice about being told they were leaving their coastal home to move to Italy’s biggest city - but River knows she needs to explain the full story to her before they arrive. “What are we going to tell her?” She frets, “I can’t… just say I’ve randomly been selected to rule the city out of nowhere, she may only be six but she’s no fool. We need to explain everything - how can we just - just spring it on her that her mother used to be the empress of Rome?”

“Oh, that…” The Doctor rubs the back of his neck, looking sheepish. “She uh… she may already know…”

River sits up abruptly. “What?”

“Shh!”, the Doctor hushes her, motioning to their sleeping child. River frowns at him.

“What do you mean she already knows!?” She hisses.

“Well… I might have told her…”

“When!?”

“Umm, I’m not sure… a few years ago…”

 _“A few_ -” She begins to rage before quickly cutting herself off with a glance at Livia. Turning livid eyes on her husband, River gets out of bed and hauls him after her, leaving the inn room and closing the door quietly behind her, turning the key in the lock before glancing round, and dragging him with her down the creaky stairs and out of the small inn until they are alone outside in the quiet night. She whirls him round to face her.

“You _told_ her about me!?”

“She wanted to know how we met!” He says, “You know how she used to go on and on about it - she’s always been such a curious thing and -”

“Doctor! It’s not _safe_ for her to know that! We agreed when I had her that she couldn’t know who I was - if she told someone and it got round to the wrong person can you imagine -”

“She wouldn’t tell anyone!” He insists.

“She’s a baby!”

“I told her it was a secret and nobody could know who you used to be. I explained why it’s dangerous - you know her River, she’s always been wise beyond her years - she understands.”

“I suppose you told her she wasn’t allowed to tell me that she knew either?” She demands, arms folded.

The Doctor shuffles on his feet, looking chastised. “Maybe…”

“You better tell me exactly what our child knows right now Doctor,” River snaps.

He sighs. “She never believed that story about how you used to be a warrior and left the army to marry me. Even when she was tiny she knew something was off. You know how she used to pester about it…”

“Couldn’t say no to a toddler?” River snaps, unamused.

“She wanted to know the truth about her mother, River,” he frowns. “So I… I told her.”

 _“What_ did you tell her?”

“I told her that… you used to be a very powerful empress. That you were the most feared and respected woman in all the world - and the most beautiful.” He offers her a tentative smile. “That part’s still true.”

“Don’t even try it,” River says, unamused.

“But… I told her that great power can be dangerous… that sometimes you can lose yourself in it. And I told her that finally you’d realised what’s really important in life and you had chosen love, and left everything for me and her.”

“And did you explain how mummy and daddy met?” She demands with hands on her hips. “Did you tell her my army raided your town and captured you and forced you into a life of slavery?”

“I… spared her the exact details. I just said I worked for you at the palace.”

River tightens her jaw, looking away from him. “You shouldn’t have told her.” She says after a moment.

“She deserved the truth. It’s a wonderful truth, River. She admires you so much for what you were - and what you chose to do.”

“What I chose to do? I ran away!”

He shakes his head. “She doesn’t see it that way.”

“That’s because you didn’t tell it to her that way,” she grumbles.

“I told it to her the way it is.” He bites his lip, watching her carefully in the dark. “Are you very angry at me?”

“I’m furious,” she snaps.

“Oh.”

“But…” She sighs. “I suppose it saves a lot of explaining now.” She points a finger at him when he starts to smile. “Don’t think that means you’re let off the hook - you lied to me, Doctor.”

“I didn’t!”

“Yes, you did. And you made our daughter lie to me too. You should have told me when you’d told her.”

He rubs the back of his neck. “Well I knew you’d be cross,” he mumbles.

“Too right.”

“... Sorry?”

“You better be sorry.”

He steps closer to her, sliding a hand round her waist and leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her jawline. “I’ll make it up to you,” he murmurs softly.

River turns into his embrace, arching against him as she tilts her head to allow his kisses to continue down her neck. “Yeah, you will,” she breathes.

“Mmhmm,” he rumbles into her skin, “Anything you want…”

“Anything?”

“Mmm.”

River pauses, enjoy his lips' caress against her collarbone for a moment before she speaks; “You get to tell our daughter why we’re going back to Rome,” she says, and pushes him away, stepping neatly out of his arms and striding back towards the inn.

“River!”

“Come along sweetie,” she sings. “Time to rest, we’ve got a long way to go yet.”

Hanging his head, he groans and traipses along after her back into the inn.

“Oh - and you’re doing all the driving tomorrow,” she throws over her shoulder.

He sighs. “Of course I am.”

\--

The next morning before they leave, they sit their daughter down at the little table in the corner of the room explaining that they need to tell her something important.

“Sweetheart,” the Doctor begins, “Remember how I told you that your mother used to be a very powerful empress?”

Livia’s eyes widen, and she looks between the Doctor and River, pointedly making alarmed eyes at her father. He sighs.

“It’s alright, she knows I’ve told you.”

The little girl visibly relaxes. “Oh,” she says, then looks to her mother. “It’s really true mummy?” She says excitedly, bouncing where she sits. “You were a real empress?”

“Yes, I was,” River says, and finds a smile coming to her lips at the awe on her little girl’s face.

“Did you live in a big palace and have guards and servants and a million horses - and gold and dresses and jewels -”

“Yes, and more,” River says with chuckle.

“What was it like?” She breathes in wonder, but the Doctor places a hand over hers from the other side of the table, getting her to look at him.

“Livia, I never told you that the city your mother ruled over… was Rome.”

Her eyes go even wider. “But… that’s one of the most powerful cities in the world! Rome controls half the map…”

“Yes, they do,” he chuckles fondly at the little girl’s knowledge. “And your mother is the reason most of those countries are under Rome's rule. I did say she was a very powerful empress, didn’t I?”

Livia turns her head and stares at her mother, and River cannot help smilling at the utter awe and admiration on her child’s face.

She takes a breath, and lifts a hand to brush a dark curl from her daughter’s face. “Darling, the empire is in trouble… a lot of trouble. And… well -” She glances to the Doctor who gives her a nod of encouragement. “They need my help.”

“So that’s why we’re going to Rome!”

“Yes.”

A furrow appears in her small brow. “How will you help them mummy? What kind of trouble are they in?”

The Doctor sighs and speaks up again from across the table. “Livia they want your mother to come back, to… come back and rule again.”

Her jaw drops open. “You’re going to be the empress again?” She asks River.

“Yes, I am - but only until the empire is back on it’s feet.”

Livia falls silent, staring between her mother and father, her small head taking in all the information.

“Are we going to live in a palace?” She finally asks.

“Providing… that things go smoothly when I arrive, then yes,” River nods.

She thinks for another moment. “Will I get my own room in the palace?”

River chuckles, reaching out to tug fondly on one of Livia’s curls. “Yes. You’ll have an entire chamber to yourself my love.”

Her face lights up. “Is the palace big?”

“Oh - _huge_ ,” River says, grinning now, relieved that the information has been taken so well. “And beautiful - with rooms of marble and gold, the ceilings and walls adorned in the most beautiful paintings - and wings you can get lost in, and gardens filled with every flower imaginable - and a huge indoor baths with a bath big enough for a hundred people...”

“You’re making that up,” her daughter breathes, eyes wide.

“I’m not,” laughs River, tucking a curl fondly behind Livia’s ear. “You’ll see for yourself when you get there.” River glances over at the Doctor then, to find him watching her with a strange expression on his face. She raises her eyebrows. “What?”

He clears his throat and shakes his head, breaking eye-contact. “Nothing.”

“When are we going to get there?” Livia asks excitedly.

“A week or so more,” River says. And you and your father will have to stay outside the city until… things have been sorted.”

Livia looks between her parents for another moment, her eyes bright with wonder until she jumps down from the table.

“Well come on! Let’s get going - we’ve got a long way to go yet!”

Laughing as he shakes his head, the Doctor gets to his feet, holding out a hand for River. “She’s your daughter,” he chuckles.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” She says as Livia grabs her small bag from her bed and drags it over to the door, flinging it open.

“Come on!” The little girl calls over to them.

The Doctor grins. “Just that patience has never been one of your strengths.”

“Hey,” River points a finger at him as she walks backwards towards the door. “Watch it - you’re still not forgiven you know.”

He grabs his and River’s bags and walks over to the door, holding it open for them with a foot. He leans down and plants a noisy kiss on her cheek as she moves past him and she bats him irritably away but he sees the smile curl up the corner of her lips.

\--

They meet Quintus at the agreed place just outside Rome a little over a week later. He promises that those of the council he’d informed about River’s impending return were pleased and ready to welcome her back. They set up a secret meeting for the following morning - dawn, in one of the lesser used halls of the palace far from the wings the emperor frequents; Quintus assures her the man is never seen out of his bedchamber before noon and that those attending the meeting will be the only ones to know of its taking place.

Her old advisor comes to collect River the next morning before dawn, accompanying her into the palace via one of the city’s underground passageways he had previously ensured was clear. When Quintus unlocks the door at the end and holds it open for her, River steps out into the deserted hallway of her old palace and takes a moment to pause, looking around herself with mixed feelings she can’t quite identify. She lets out a breath, shaking her head.

“You’re weren’t kidding about the state of things were you?” She says to Quintus quietly as he locks the door behind them. It is dark but she can see even through it the cobwebs that cover the hallways ceiling, strung from the pillars that line it to the wall - statues nestled into archways along the corridor sit crumbling and there is even a dead rat lying on the floor a few feet away. She wrinkles her nose in disgust and anguish. “How can this have happened?”

“If you think this is bad my lady, wait until you see the city,” Quintus murmurs sorrowfully. He lifts a hand. “After you.”

Standing outside the room where she has been told the council are already gathered inside a few minutes later, River takes a deep breath, lowering the hood of her cloak and smoothing hands she refuses to believe are trembling slightly over her dress.

“Are you alright, my lady?” Quintus asks anxiously.

“Of course,” She says, and clears her throat before stepping forward, pushing the double doors open and striding into the room. She casts her eyes quickly over the men seated round the large table in the center - more than she’d expected - all of whom have stood and fallen silent at her entrance, watching her carefully, some with wary expressions - she recognises some faces, and some she doesn’t.

River walks steadily to the head of the table and takes her place, sitting slowly, and folding her hands in front of her with a nod that signals that the other occupants of the room too, may sit.

A man to her right clears his throat and speaks up. “The members of this council present would like to thank you for coming, my lady.”

She inclines her head in recognition of the thanks and glances at him.

“You’ve gone grey, Marcus.”

A small smile comes to his lips. “Well the years haven’t been so kind to me. The same certainly can’t be said for you, your highness.”  
She rolls her eyes.

“So,” she says, glancing round, and quirks an eyebrow. “Anyone want to fill me in?”

A man on the right of the table whom she doesn’t recognise clears his throat and introduces himself before launching into a report on the situation of the empire. River listens, growing forlorn as she hears in full detail everything that has taken place in the years she’s been absent. Things are worse even than she’d imagined, and the fact that one man could have completely destroyed what was a structured, civilised and prospering empire it had taken River over a decade to build in just six years makes her blood boil.

“And nobody here is brave enough to take on one madman?” She questions when all the facts have been conveyed.

There is a pause as the men shuffle and glance at each other.

“It’s… not so much a question of nobody being brave enough, my lady…” Says the man to her left. “It’s more… nobody wants to acquire a dying empire. Rome is a mess nobody wants the responsibility of fixing.”

River sighs, frowning as she shakes her head in disgust at the state of things.

“So you want me to fix it?”

When nobody speaks, Marcus clears his throat.

“You took the empire from a powerful ruler and built it into something amazing when you were little more than a girl… if anyone can turn Rome around, it’s you, my lady.”

Murmurs of agreement go round the table, and River leans back in her seat, eyes narrowed.

“Fine,” she finally says.

“You’ll do it?”

She nods.

Chatter breaks out, relived sounding comments and exclamations scattering about the room amongst thanks until River holds up a hand and they fall quiet.

“I have conditions,” she says.

“Of course,” Says the man who’d explained the situation.

“Full control. Everything I say goes.”

A scattering of nods around the table.

“I need the army increased immediately. Every able-bodied man in the city must be offered the opportunity to join - and strongly encouraged to do so.”

“O - offered, your majesty?” Speaks a grey-haired man on the left.

“Yes.”

“We… could just send out messengers demanding that -”

“Is that what I just said?”

“N - no your highness.”

“Then don’t interrupt me again.”

The man shuts his mouth.

“My husband will be made a member of this council, and he _will_ be respected.”

After a surprised pause, Marcus clears his throat and speaks up. “And… why did this man not attend with you today, your highness?”

“Because he’s currently outside Rome with our daughter. I’m not bringing them into the city until I’m certain there is no danger for them here.”

The man’s eyebrows shoot upwards. “You have a daughter?”

“Yes. She will be coming to live here at the palace with me, along with my husband.” River carefully chooses not to mention the child in her belly at this point.

The men around the table mutter and whisper to each other until River clears her throat and sits up straight.

“Let me make something clear; I have no interest in the throne. I am here only to help the empire get back on its feet, and when that has happened, I will step down and a suitable leader will be elected to take my place.”

The buzz of dubious murmurs goes around the room.

“I’m here to _help you,_ ” she stresses. “But I warn you now; if anyone harms a single hair on the heads of one of my family… I will burn this empire to the ground.”

A cold, stiff silence follows her words.

“Are we quite clear?”

A low chorus of ‘yes your majesty’ rumbles round the room and River nods, satisfied.

“Well then,” She says, looking around with raised eyebrows. “First things first I’d say: we have an emperor to de-throne.”

\--

“You can’t do this!” Tiberius yells as three guards haul him through the grand hall and shove him to his knees before River, who is seated on the throne. “This is _treason!”_

River leans forward on her throne. “Technically, since I never died I’m still Rome’s rightful ruler. That makes everything _you’ve_ done treason.”

“You can’t just - just _walk_ in here and sit back on the throne - that’s not how it works!”

River leans back again, lifting her hands and smiling cooly as she gestures around at the hall filled with people. “But I already have.”

He spits at her, and she quirks an unamused eyebrow.

“You will stand trial for your crimes against this city Tiberius. Until then you are being relocated to the cells.” She flicks a hand. “Take him away.”

“No!” He yells, struggling furiously, “Get your hands off me! That’s an _order!_ I’ll have your head!” One of the guards wrangling him from the room smacks the man upside the head with a “Shut it, you!” He turns to the other guard, “Always wanted to do that,” he comments, and they drag Tiberius from the throne room laughing over the sound of his furious yells.

“Well,” Says River when the hall doors close behind them with a bang, “Now that’s taken care of… I think I'd like to call the first official meeting of the council. I believe I have an empire to rebuild."

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

Sitting at the head of the large table, River rolls her shoulders back, tilting her head to stretch her stiff neck. It’s been a couple of hours already and they have only just scraped the tip of the empire’s problems. She frowns down at the long scroll full of figures she’d been writing down as all the details had been given to her, and decides that this is something she’s going to have to sit down with alone - well, alone with the Doctor - to work out these numbers and figure out what to do about the sorry state of the city’s finances and troubles.

But first, she has some important issues to attend to that haven’t even been brought up yet.

“I have questions,” She says, cutting off the man who had been rattling off statistics from the city’s poor trading profits and losses over the last few years and bringing everyone’s attention to her.

She clears her throat and continues. “I believe there are far more pressing matters that need to be dealt with than the city’s wealth - or lack thereforth.”

One of the chancellors speaks up, “Your highness…?”

“There’s disease amongst the poor am I correct?”

They all nod. “Yes.”

“Then medicine is a priority. Send out men immediately to collect a shipload. You know suppliers who provide what we need, yes?”

“Er… your highness,” the men look worriedly at each other. “We can’t afford medicine… the city is _bankrupt_ ,” the man stresses, like she hadn’t heard any of what they’d been discussing for the past two hours.

She rolls her eyes. “But they don’t know that, do they? Nobody will turn down a purchase that large from Rome - tell them we demand the merchandise first; they’ll get their payment when we see it’s fit.”

“But… they won’t?”

“Yes, they will. I’m not planning on this city being bankrupt forever. Now - the people are starving too?”

“Yes. Dying in the streets before our very eyes my lady.”

River frowns at them. “And you’re not?”

“Uh… well we…”

She sits back in her seat, arms folded. “Tell me how is that the people of this city are dying of starvation and yet at least half of you I see before me now clearly eat _far_ more than you need to sustain yourselves?”

The men shoot glances at each other, confused and stunned by the question.

“You clearly have food in the palace. Feed them.”

“But, your highness,” one man speaks up, “If we give the food to all the poor then soon it will be gone - we have no means to purchase more -”

She slams her hand down on the table.“And so you sit here and gorge yourselves on however much you fancy until that happens while people are _dying_ of hunger?” She fumes.

Silence follows her words.

“Every single person in this empire gets the same ration of food. See to it _immediately._ ”

“But - your majesty when the food is gone -”

“I will not let the food run out,” she says quickly. “You have my word.”

She sees the men shift in their seats, looking a little uneasy, but they scribble down her orders on their parchments.

“There are families in the city with no homes,” she continues, “How did this happen?”

“Tiberius raised the taxes, your majesty. Tripled them. Many families could no longer afford to keep a home…”

River curses the man under her breath. “Are there empty houses in the city now?”

“Any that are are falling to ruin by now, your highness.”

She sighs, a frown on her face. “The hall in the west wing…” She says after a moment’s thought. “It’s large - clear it and fill it with cots. All the homeless are to be brought there until their houses can be made fit for purpose - or new ones built.”

“You… want to bring the poor into the _palace?_ ”

“I won’t have people huddled on the streets of my city,” she snaps.

There is a pause. “And… how are we going to afford to rebuild these houses?”

“Leave the problem of Rome’s finances to me. My husband and I will go over everything when he gets here.”

“Um,” Marcus clears his throat and speaks up. “Hadn’t we better meet this man, your majesty? If he’s to be one of the council and play a significant role -”

“Yes - tomorrow,” and that is all she says of it.

She wraps the meeting up shortly afterwards, having taken care of all urgencies, she needs to sit down for a while with the figures and statistics to figure out where to go from here.  

“Quintus,” She addresses her old chancellor as the men stand from the table, “A word please.”

The elderly man hangs back as they all file out of the hall, and when they are alone River turns to him.

“I need you to fetch the Doctor and Livia later tonight - after dark… bring them in the way you brought me, that would be safest. Take them up to my chambers, I’ll be there.”

Quintus bows his head. “Of course, your highness. They’ll be safe, you have my word.” He gets up and makes to leave, but she stops him with a hand on his arm.

“Thank you,” River says, and Quintus hesitates, surprise evident on his face as he blinks at her, and then quickly bows his head again.

“It’s my pleasure, my lady,” he says, before leaving.

River spends the rest of the day wandering the palace, re-familiarising herself with the place that was her home for so many years - and noting all the changes to it. The entire palace is in a state of ill-repair, although the lesser-used wings are far worse, even places like the main throne room and public baths are unkempt and dirty. What saddens her most is the sculptures and artwork adorning the walls that have been ruined - she had always had such a fondness for beautiful things and she is mournful that such works have been so ill-respected.

Having already ordered for the royal chambers to be cleared of Tiberius’s possessions and cleaned, she makes her way up there when evening looms, half dreading what she might find.

She doesn’t know whether she’s relieved or not when she eases open the heavy door to find her old quarters eerily familiar.

The main pieces of furniture remain the same - large wooden table in the middle, bookshelves and cabinets lining the walls in the same positions as they’d always been. Only a few of the statues and paintings she’d had decorating the room remain the same - there are new ones, and some of the old appear damaged - she sadly thinks that they match the paint peeling from the walls and the chips and cracks in the beautiful mosaic tiles that adorn the floor. Aside from that, the room is bare, no trace of another person having recently resided here but for the unfamiliar scent lingering in the air. River wrinkles her nose, and walks slowly round the room, moving through to her old bedchamber. That too is bare and neglected looking. The large four poster bed remains in the same position but her dressing table is nowhere to be seen. She is grateful at least for the clean sheets draped over the bed, and someone appears to have replaced the pillows and drapes around it too for they too look decidedly fresher than the rest of the chambers.

She wanders out onto the balcony, taking a moment to pause as her eyes roam over the city spread out before her. The city that was once hers… and now, she supposes, is again - at least for the time being. Her eyes grow sad as she takes in what was once a glorious sight and notices the crumbling buildings and filthy streets littered with people and rubbish - half the wall to the east of the city is even falling to rubble.

Chest aching, she leans her elbows on the side of the balcony and lets out a mournful sigh, feeling thoroughly responsible for the ruin she sees before her.

“I’m sorry I abandoned you,” she whispers quietly to the city below.

\--

Hand tight round his daughter’s, the Doctor follows Quintus swiftly through the palace - he knows the way himself of course, even after all these years the big marble hallways and corridors are familiar to him - and actually being back walking among them feels stranger than he had expected it to.

When they reach the familiar gold painted door, Quintus stops, turning and handing the doctor a small gold key.

“I will leave you then,” He says quietly, and offers Livia a kindly smile. “Goodnight.”

“Quintus,” the Doctor says softly before he leaves, and the man turns to him.

“Yes sir?”

“Thank you.”

A smile comes to his lips. “The empress has already given me her thanks; more is not necessary.”

“No but - thank you for… everything you’ve done. For coming to find River in the first place - for believing in her. You were always loyal to her - _always_. And I just want you to know how much that means.”

Quintus smiles kindly at the Doctor and nods. “She was but a girl when she first came to the throne… I’ve watched her grow up - and saw her turn into the most powerful woman in the world. Her decisions may not always have been the right ones but… there was no doubt that she was an incredible ruler. I believe she belongs on the throne.”

With no words to say to that, the Doctor watches Quintus turn and leave, staring after him until his daughter tugs on his hand and snaps him out of his thoughts.

“Right then,” he says, pasting on a smile and sliding the key Quintus had given him from River into the lock, “Let’s go and see your mother hm?”

Excitable despite the late hour, Livia races inside as soon as he has the door open, letting out exclamations of wonder as she dashes around the royal chambers.

“River?” He calls out as he closes and locks the door behind him.

“Out here sweetie,” She calls from the balcony, and he follows Livia as she rushes outside and throws herself at her mother. Turning from the side, River smiles as she wraps her arms round her daughter and hoists her up, kissing her cheek.

“Miss me?”

“Terribly,” The Doctor says, placing a hand on River’s back as he reaches her and leaning in for a chaste kiss.

“I wasn’t talking to you,” River rolls her eyes as Livia giggles.

“I think he missed you more than me mummy,” she confides and River laughs.

“I’m sure he did. Goodness you’re getting heavy love,” she says, setting her daughter back on her feet and ruffling her hair. “Maybe we should see about getting you a horse now we’re here, and that can carry you about instead hm?”

“Really?” Livia gasps and River nods with a smile.

“River,” warns the Doctor.

“What?”

“These rooms are huge!” Livia exclaims, bounding off. “Are they all yours? Where am I going to sleep?”

“In here for tonight,” River says, following her and leaving the Doctor to trail after them. “Your own chambers will be down the hall but,” She glances at the Doctor, “You can stay here tonight.”

The little girl’s face falls. “But I want to see my own room.”

“Tomorrow, darling.”

“Why not now?”

“Because it’s late.”

“But you _promised_ I’d get my own chambers when we got here!”

“Livia...” River says sternly.

Their daughter throws a fit the likes of which her parents had never seen. They are startled enough by it that by the time she starts crying, both are as distressed as she, and they end up giving in just to settle her.

“I can’t have her screaming down the palace!” River shouts over her wails, “Look - the chambers are ready anyway, I’ll just make sure they’re locked and put a guard on the door, she’ll be fine…”

“Well,” The Doctor says an hour later, with their daughter settled in her new chambers with an older slave woman inside to look after her and two guards on the door outside (threatened on pain of death to keep the child inside safe). “That was… unexpected.”

Locking the door behind them, River lets out an exhausted sigh, running a hand through her curls. “She’s just tired. It’s been a long trip and then she was holed up in hiding with you all day… this is… a lot for her to take in.” She bites her lip. “Maybe too much.”

He gives a sigh of his own. “She’ll be fine.”

River shrugs, turning to wander over to the balcony. “She’ll have to be - no going back now, is there?”

The Doctor follows quietly behind her, and together they look out over the city; still and quiet now under the blanket of stars - but as he gazes out, taking in what he’s seeing for the first time, he can see even in the darkness the ruin the city spread out beneath them is falling to.

He opens his mouth to comment on it, but River speaks first.

“This feels so _strange,_ ” she says.

The Doctor snorts, leaning his hands on the wall. “You’re telling me.”

She turns to him and places a hand over his, lacing their fingers together. “Whoever knew, all those years ago when things were… so different… that you and I would be standing here again one day as husband and wife?”

“Not me,” The Doctor chuckles softly.

“Or me.”

“So... if you’re the empress again and we’re married... “ He grins at her. “Does that make me emperor?”

“No.”

“Technically, it does,” he waggles his eyebrows at her and she shoves him.

“Tecnically it _doesn’t_ because it’s my empire and I make the rules.”

“I’d make a great emperor.”

She snorts. “You’d make a rubbish emperor sweetie.”

“Oi!”

With a low laugh she leans up on her tiptoes to place a lingering kiss on his jaw. “You made a great slave though,” She purrs, voice low and wicked, and with the hand linked to his, she starts walking backwards, towing him inside with her with shining eyes.

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not,” he comments as he follows after her.

“Oh,” she winks, “It is.”

She turns and leads him with her through to her old bedchamber - nothing is the same except the position of the huge bed in the middle but - it still brings back floods of memories being in here. River stops and drops his hand, turning to face him.

“Although I’m not sure I can remember just _how_ good you were… maybe you can remind me?”

Distracted as he looks around the room, he comments, “Hm?”

River snaps her fingers in front of his face and he jumps in surprise, blinking at her.

“I don’t like to be ignored.”

His eyebrows shoot upwards. “River…”

“Undress me,” she demands, her eyes holding his in challenge. _“Slave.”_

Catching on, the Doctor feels a slow smile come to his lips and he steps closer to her, eyeing her up and down. “If that’s what my mistress desires,” he flirts.

“Oh your mistress desires much more than that, sweetie - but first things first hm?”

He gives her a smirk up under his fringe as he carefully unknots the tie on her dress at her waist, then lets his hands slide up her sides, thumbs softly grazing over her breasts and palms sliding round her shoulders until he gets to the clips on her shoulders and unsnaps them both together before releasing the material and letting the dress flutter to the floor. His eyes roaming her bare form, he steps closer still and slides his hands up her neck to bury in her curls, fingers sifting through in search of the many pins holding it in place on top of her head, carefully pulling out each one.   
“What?” He says when he finds her eyes and sees her grinning at him.

“Nothing,” she smiles. “Just thinking about how you used to fumble with this task.”

He grins back at her. “Well,” he says, “I’ve had quite a bit of practice since then.”

“Mmm indeed you have.”

Her hair loose, he combs his fingers gently through it, smiling when she sighs and tilts her head into the touch, arching her body against his. Her nipples brush the front of his toga and she lets out a soft moan and he smiles at the sound, and steps forward to press his body into hers, turning his face into her hair and nuzzling gently at her neck.

“Enough,” she says suddenly, and gives him a push unexpected enough to send him stumbling backwards. She turns as he blinks at her, and saunters over to the bed, climbing up onto it and crawling over to turn and recline back against the many plush pillows.

“Clothes off, slave,” she orders with a smirk.

He takes a moment to grin at her, and hurriedly stumbles out of his toga, tossing it behind him and making towards her.

He leaps onto the bed, startling her into letting out a shriek as she bounces, and then he crawls up over her, fingertips tickling over her sides and she giggles, whacking his chest with a palm. “You’re spoiling it,” she whines.

“Sorry,” he grins, leaning down for a kiss which she grants him, opening her mouth to slide her tongue softly against his then sucking gently on his lower lip before -

“Ouch!”

Spread out beneath him wearing nothing but a smirk and darkened twinkling eyes, River quirks an eyebrow.

“You bit me!” He accuses with fingers pressed to his bottom lip.

River’s eye flash and she rolls them so fast the Doctor blinks and he’s on his back with her straddling his hips, strong hands pinning his wrists to the bed beside him. She rocks her hips, grinding her core down against him and his mouth falls open, hips rocking up into her, desperately seeking more friction. Leaning down, she licks his neck and then drags her teeth over his skin there, nipping lightly just above his collarbone.   
“You want me?” she breathes, hips grinding again.

“Yes,” he chokes out.

“Then earn it,” she says, before rising up on her knees and crawling up over his body, right up to settle over his face. He groans aloud and wastes no time in tilting his head up and opening his mouth to devour her.

River throws her head back, letting out a low moan, her hands sliding from his wrists to lace her fingers with his own. He squeezes her hands as he slides his tongue up from her entrance to her clit, and River drops her darkened gaze to his, looking down at him softly through lust-clouded eyes as he sucks at her clit. Then seeming to remember her game she abruptly lets go, leaning back with her hands braced on his chest behind her as she arches her back and lets out another of those glorious moans.

“So beautiful,” he murmurs, mouth pressed against her as his hands move to her thighs, sliding up to cup her backside so he can hold her against him.

“More,” she breathes, rocking her hips into his touch, and he obeys easily, sliding his tongue inside her and licking at her inner walls until his jaw aches and she is gasping above him. He slips a hand round under his chin and replaces his tongue with two fingers so he can reach deeper inside her, switching the attentions of his mouth to her clit which he laps at rapidly in time to the movements of his fingers and has her crying out and trembling in moments.

“Don’t stop,” she pants above him, fingers curling into his chest and nails pressing into his skin, “Right there, don’t stop!”

He doesn’t, and she comes seconds later with a scream that would have made his former self blush, her body quivering over him.

He laps at her slowly as she comes down from her high, licking her carefully clean and earning himself a long, drawn out satisfied moan and a sighed, “Gods I love you.”  

He feigns a gasp as she levers herself off him on trembly limbs. “You do!? But I’m just a lowly slave!”

“Oh,” she huffs out a laugh, swatting him as she collapses next to him, “Shut up.”

He turns his grinning face into her curls and murmurs a low, “Love you too.”

Reaching an arm over, she cups the back of his neck to keep him from pulling away. “Well I think you’ve more than earned your reward,” she purrs, still out of breath.

“Hmm?”

Laying back and letting her thighs fall open she beckons him with one finger and a smirk, and he grins, rolling over on top of her and leaning down for a deep kiss as she hooks a leg over his hips and draws him inside her.

Hours later, when they are laying together curled up under the sheets in River’s - well, he supposes it’s _their_ bed this time round - his wife lets out a troubled sigh.

“What is it?” He murmurs sleepily.

“I… I haven’t told anyone yet sweetie,” She whispers to him in the dark.

“Hm?” He mumbles, sated and drowsy.

“About you.”

“Oh.”

River chews on her lip as she looks at him. “I mean - I told them I’m married and have a daughter - demanding you were made a member of the council was one of my conditions to being the empress again but…”  
“You didn’t say who I was,” he finishes for her when she trails off.

She shakes her head.

The Doctor thinks for a moment. “I’m going to be a member of your council?”

“Of course you are,” she chuckles softly. “What did you think, I’d just keep you locked away in here to entertain me at the end of each day?”

“Well, you used to.”  
She elbows him. “Oh shush.”

He grins at her in the dark. “So when are you planning to uh… introduce me?” He says after a moment.

“I’ve another meeting first thing. I’ve invited the generals and any council members who weren’t present yesterday… some are coming over from the other part of the city. Everybody who is even slightly important will be there… you can come with me.”

He pauses. “Okay.”

Clearly recognising the hesitation in his voice she continues, shuffling closer to him. “It’ll be fine, honey. Most of them won’t even recognise you.”

“But some will.”

“Yes, she says quietly, “Some will.”

They don’t speak any more that night but both lie awake into the early hours of the morning, lost in thoughts and memories.

-

The next morning sees them both standing outside the delegated hall, the buzz of many voices coming from inside.

River turns to him. “You ready for this?” She murmurs.

He fidgets, shoving a hand through his hair and nodding. “I feel like I should be a few paces behind you. You know - old habits,” he mutters, clearly trying to make light of the situation but his voice wavers just enough to reveal his nerves.

River glances at him, biting her lip, and then she holds out a hand.

The Doctor blinks down at it for a moment before he steps forward, and slips his own into it. River squeezes his hand tightly, and together, they open the doors and walk into the hall.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

  
  


The chatter cuts off to the sound of chairs scraping abruptly against the marble floor as River and the Doctor enter the hall and the fifty or so men around the huge table in the centre stand and fall silent.

The Doctor can feel River’s hand so tight around his own it is almost painful - and then he realises he is holding her own just as hard. He gives it a reassuring squeeze, and together they walk through the hall.

River nods at the members of the council as she passes them, and the Doctor reluctantly lets go of her hand to pull out her large chair at the head, and move to take his own beside her when she is seated. He, along with the rest of the hall, sit when River motions for them to do so. She clears her throat.

“Gentlemen,” she begins. “Thank you for coming. Allow me to introduce you to the newest member of our council…” She motions to him. “This is the Doctor… and my husband.”

Many of the men nod and murmur a polite greeting and the Doctor smiles and nods his head in return but River is still and on guard beside him, and he notices then that she is watching carefully certain members - men whom when he looks at them, he realises he recognises; they were on her council before, many years ago.

“You look familiar,” One man speaks up, eyes slightly narrowed.

The Doctor clears his throat. “Yes, I suppose I do. I… was in Rome before.”

“Were you here at the palace?”

“I… yes. I was. I -”

“He was here alright,” A grey-haired man with a purple toga and a deep frown set on his face speaks up. “I’d remember that face anywhere - I saw it enough, he never left her majesty’s side.” He nods to River. “He was her slave.”

A rumble of voices starts up and another man stands, chair scraping back noisily on the stone floor. “Is this true!?”

“I do not recall giving you permission to stand!” River snaps, finally speaking up.

The man slams a hand on the table, “Is it true?”

“Darius!” Thunders an older man to River’s right. “How dare you raise your voice in the empress’s presence! Be seated at once!”

Darius sits, but grudgingly as another man speaks up from the other side of the table, his voice cold and stubborn.  

“I believe we deserve an explanation, your _highness_.”

River sits back in her chair, holding up her hands. “And what explanation would you like? I think it’s pretty clear that some of you remember the Doctor. He was what he was then… now he is my husband and that is all there is to say on the matter.”

“But that’s preposterous!” Darius slams a fist on the table again and a rumble of agreements follow. “You expect us to listen to the word of a slave? To let him sit with us here at the table - to take orders from him!?”

“He was a _slave_ ,” River says, voice taking on an angry edge, “Because my army raided his town and captured him - how does that give him less worth as a man?”

“You’re right,” Darius sneers, “Slave - common man - there’s little difference.”

At these words the Doctor flies to his feet. “Yes you’re right, Darius,” He says angrily, “There is _no_ difference between a slave and a commoner - just like there is no difference between those men and you. Why should one human’s life hold more worth than another!? Answer me that!”

River’s hand is gentle on his arm, and he softens at a glance at her face, sitting back down as she says quietly to him, “That’s a fight for another day, sweetie.”

Reluctantly, he nods, and they hear Darius scoff from across the table.

“When I heard word that the woman who abandoned this empire eight years ago had returned to the throne I was dubious enough but this… this is a joke.”

“What’s a _joke_ ,” River says loudly above the rumble of voices, “Is the way this empire was run in the years I’ve been away. And the fact that nobody was man enough to step up and do a damn thing about it.” They fall quiet, shifting uneasily. “I can put this right,” She says, “But my condition is that while I’m here, proper respect is given to my husband and if you cannot offer that then I will leave.”

One man snorts. “I say we let her go.”

“No, we need her,” Another bangs on the table to call attention. “I remember the empire when she ruled before - surely you all do. With the state things are in now, we need her leadership back.”

“I agree,” says Darius, “She was a great ruler - strong, smart… everyone who knew her name trembled at the sound of it - until she lost her damn mind and ran off with a slave.”

River gives the man a cold glare, eyebrow raised as she shrugs. “Even psychopaths fall in love.”

He snorts, and motions at the Doctor.

“With _that?”_

River flies to her feet. “If you ever speak of my husband like that again I’ll have you hung,” She shouts.

It is the Doctor’s turn to place a hand on her arm. “River,” he says, trying to pull her back down. “It’s alright.”

“No,” She shrugs him off, “It’s not alright. This man has more brain than all of you put together - you need me to rebuild this empire and like it or not - you need him too. Either you agree to respect him or I’ll leave this city in the mess I found it in and you can all starve to death - or be slaughtered when the city is attacked and it’s pathetic excuse for an army and defences fail - I can’t tell you which of those will happen first.”

The men shift uneasily in their seats.

“Well?” River demands. “What will it be? Because I already know exactly what I’m going to do about eighty percent of this empire’s problems  - and that took me one night to work out. What have you managed to fix in the last six years?”

Ten seconds pass until a grey-haired man to the left of the table whom the Doctor remembers from before clears his throat. “We would be honoured and exceedingly grateful if you would help us, your highness.”

She raises an eyebrow, arms folded as she looks around the table. “Would you?”

Slowly (and some seemingly grudgingly) the men all nod, but River is not satisfied yet. “And the Doctor? You will respect him?”

Another pause before there is a scattering of nods and the same man speaks up again. “We will respect our empress’s husband, of course. I… I apologise for some of the words that have been said this morning, your highness.”

River slowly nods.

“Well,” she says, sitting back down and folding her hands in front of her. “Now that’s settled - shall we begin?”

They spend a couple of hours going over the city’s problems. The atmosphere eases as the time passes, but the Doctor is not stupid enough to think that everybody seated round the table is happy for him to be there. There are some that shoot glares his way every time he interjects with a comment - but they do not say anything, and so he supposes, for now that is all he can hope for.

“We must discuss the army,” River changes the subject after a while. “With the wall all but falling down on the west side of the city our defences are important - I have had the figures and been told their training is lacking but really - how bad is it? Generals, you’re here today,” She addresses four men dressed in uniform. “Perhaps you could give me a full report.”

Before any of them can open their mouths another man scoffs and speaks up.  

“Your highness,” He says, “The generals I’m afraid are as ill-trained as the troops. Those fools don’t know a sword from a sheild.”

Three of them shoot to their feet with words of anger and River quickly raises a hand.

“Alright, alright, sit. Is this true, what he says?”

“Of course it’s not true!” One of them bristles. “We were selected to lead the troops by the emperor himself.”

“Well, as I’m sure you can imagine that doesn’t give me much confidence,” River rolls her eyes and turns to her council.

“Tiberius picked his favourites,” One of River’s old chancellors, Marcus speaks up. “To grant the honour of being generals of the royal army.”

River glances between them. “Favourite… champions? Gladiators?”

Marcus shakes his head. “Just friends. It’s true. They don’t even fight.”

River’s eyebrows shoot upwards. “You can’t be serious!?”

“It’s true,” one of the generals speaks up, “That most of us have never experienced combat -”

“What?” River half snorts, half-laughs. “You’ve got to be joking.”

They glance at each other, looking embarrassed.

“But we… we are honoured to lead the army and, we, well…” He trails off at the look River is giving him.

“Oh brilliant,” Says River, “Let’s put our favourite noble-men and friends in charge of Rome’s army - never mind if the idiots even know how to swing a sword! What does that matter when the city’s attacked, at least we can all have a good party!”

The generals look exceedingly uncomfortable and the Doctor tries not to laugh, hiding his smile of amusement in a cough.

River huffs. “Right, forget that, I’ll see the troops on my own this week and gage the situation and how much work is to be done for myself - I’ll have to deal with you idiots separately and teach you how to actually lead an army.”

“Your majesty,” Speaks up one of the disgraced generals, “The troops are… rowdy and undisciplined… I’m not certain you seeing them alone is -”

“Oh please,” River scoffs, “I can cope with a bunch of stupid _boys._ So… how about we move on to these appalling figures you’ve given me here - Doctor, what do you think?”

The rest of the meeting passes fairly uneventfully. They settle some matters, although any ideas the Doctor has they all look to River to approve before any agreement is made. Everyone is sent off with scrolls full of tasks, and the Doctor and River plan to sit down alone to go over some of the more complex issues. It is a mentally tiring morning - not because the subjects are particularly taxing, although the empire does face many problems - but mostly because he spends the entire morning on edge and watching every man in the room whenever he can, trying to work out whether any of them really do accept his place beside River.

“Well,” River appears to let out a breath when they finally escape the hall and are alone together walking back to their chambers. “That could have gone better,” she mutters.

“It could have gone worse too,” the Doctor points out.

“Hmm… we need to figure out who we absolutely trust… I only have about five men in mind so far. I want Darius watched.”

The Doctor glances at her worriedly. “You’re worried he’ll cause trouble?”

“I’m worried he may try to do far more than just that, honey. He was not happy; I don’t trust him at all.”

The Doctor pales. “Then… why not just kick him off the council?”

River rolls her eyes, “Because then he’ll _really_ have a motive won’t he? Oh - don’t look so _serious_ sweetie.”

“River,” He says in a lowered voice as they walk briskly through the castle, a frown on his face. “I think potential murder is a _pretty_ serious subject!”

“I’m not going to let anybody murder you honey,” she rolls her eyes. “You forget how long I’ve ruled this empire - do you know how many people wanted me dead when I took over? Nobody’s managed to assassinate me so far and they’re not going to manage now. _Any_ of us.”

She glances at him to find him still frowning at her and she sighs and slips her hand into his arm. “Let’s talk about something else. How did you find your first council meeting as a participating member?” She grins up at him and he grudgingly smiles.

“Much more interesting than having to stand behind you and hold my tongue.”

“It’s a wonder you ever managed to,” she chuckles.

“Well - the fear of angering you helped.”

“Stop it,” she nudges him, “I wasn’t that cruel.”

“No,” he agrees, “You weren’t. But you always looked as though you could be.”

She looks away, sighing. “I could. If I’d wanted to be.”

“Well,” the Doctor nudges her after a moment, “Guess I’m lucky you always had a soft spot for me.”

She smiles again, nodding. “Mmm - several, in fact.” She flashes him a mischievous grin. “Want to feel?”

He takes a couple of seconds to get it, and then his eyes widen. “River!” He splutters, “That’s _terrible!”_

“Oh,” she says, turning to walk backwards in front of him. “But you love it.”

“Hmm,” he leans in to tap her on the nose, “Maybe a little.”

She stops, making him nearly bump into her and raises her eyebrows. “Only a little?”

“Alright… a little more than a little.”

“Oh…” River steps in closer, walking her fingers up the front of his toga as she looks up at him from under her lashes, “I think you like it a little more than that sweetie…”

He leans in. “Well, I -” His flirting is cut off by the sound of footsteps at the end of the corridor and he turns to see who’s approaching when River grabs his hand and yanks him behind a pillar, tugging him with her into a little alcove in the wall into the shadows of the statue there.

“Ri -”

“Shh!” She claps a hand over his mouth where she is pressed up against him, eyes bright. “Show me,” She challenges, and hauls him down to her, replacing her hand with her mouth and kissing him deep and filthily as the footsteps move closer and pass their hiding place along the marbled corridor.

When he manages to break free for air they are alone again, and both are panting. River doesn’t give him long to catch his breath though, before her hands are fumbling under his toga, her leg lifting to wrap round his hips as she none too subtly slides her body up and down against his, lips going for his neck.

“River!” He squeaks, “Your chambers are one flight away!”

“Can’t wait that long,” that she utters.

“ _River_ ,” he tries to be stern but her hand is inching up along his thigh and… well… “River…”

“Yes sweetie?” She purrs.

“Uhh… stairs… upstairs… _oh_ … we should…”

“Hurry before someone else comes,” she breathes.

“Yeah… - wait, no - we should -”

_“Ohh_ gods Doctor,” She sighs as his fingers stroke the slick flesh between her legs and - when had his hand even got there? “Inside me,” she demands, and his hand obeys her before his brain does, two of his long fingers sliding into her slick heat.

He groans, dropping his head to her neck as her small warm hand strokes steadily up and down his length and he listens to her quick breathing in his ear. Having given up on getting her upstairs and somewhere private, he knows this needs to be quick and wastes no time in beginning to pump his fingers in and out of her, curling them just right inside the way he knows she likes, heel of his hand grinding into her clit with each stroke. She whimpers and throws her head back, leg curling tighter around him and hips rocking into his touch. The pressure of her hand increases and when she flicks a thumb over his head and murmurs how much she loves feeling this in her mouth he chokes on a gasp, hips bucking and hand momentarily losing its rhythm.

“Unless you want to come all over the floor I suggest you get inside me,” River pants

He snorts at her eloquence, but quickly withdraws his fingers from her, wrestling the silk material of her dress up out of the way as she fumbles with his toga until he can hitch her leg up higher on his hip, bending down enough to sink into her. They waste no time once their bodies are joined; already worked up enough to begin a hard, fast pace that has them both close to the edge in moments.

With his thumb pressed against her clit, River comes seconds before him, her cry of pleasure muffled with her mouth pressed against his chest and his groaned as quietly as he can keep it into her ear.

When they have both righted their clothes and stepped out of the alcove on slightly wobbly legs only for three people to immediately stroll past them, bowing their heads politely, the Doctor glares down at her and hisses, “That was too close.”

She gives him a wink and an infuriating smirk.

_“One_ flight of stairs, River,” he chastises.

“It’s the baby,” She shrugs, smirk still on her lips as she places a hand on her belly. “You know what it made me like last time.”

“Don’t blame the baby, you’re like this pregnant or not.”

She laughs, low and devious. “Aren’t you the lucky boy then?”

He waggles a finger at her, _“Well -”_

“Come on,” she tugs on his arm. “We need to get started on going over those figures.”

He sighs, following after her with a resigned, “Yes, dear.”

\--

A few days later sees River in her tent out on the training court, pulling her curls back off her face into a simple braid as a boy buckles her into her armour.

She’s kept up her skills in the eight years she’s been away of course… but without real opponents to take down it hasn’t been easy to quell the burning energy inside her. There’ve been some fights - there was the few times in the years they travelled the seas that their ship was set upon by pirates - she and the Doctor had argued after the last that River had enjoyed the bloodshed a little too much, and sailed head first into the enemy ship’s line of sight when an attack could easily have been avoided. She might have done, but of course she hadn’t admitted to it - the battle and victory had left her deliciously satisfied for several weeks after.

There may have been another few instances over the years when she might have gone looking for trouble - but those were certainly best kept out of her husband’s knowledge. He didn’t mind that she trained and she’d kept all her weapons and rarely ventured out without one on her, but she knew actual violence was not something he would ever be fond of.

And so, looking forward to her first proper workout in years, River dismisses the slave boy, and takes a deep breath, a smile on her lips as she pushes aside the flap of her tent and steps out into the training court.

The smile falls from her face.

None of the men, shoving each other about and talking loud and rowdily in the courtyard have even looked up at River’s appearance. Far from the fit, smartly dressed army she had once commanded, they didn’t even appear to have a uniform, and to say most of them appeared unfit was an understatement - she wasn’t certain they would survive a lap of the training court let alone a march to battle and a fight.

Thinking that perhaps they hadn’t noticed her entrance, River clears her throat and strides forwards towards them. Many certainly notice her, glancing over at her approach - but not a single one does something about it. Their empress, appearing before them - and they don’t even stand to attention!

“Get in line!” She barks.

They ignore her.

Furious, she strides forwards into the midst of them, shoving a few men angrily out of her path. “Hey! I gave you an order!”

“Yeah well we don’t take orders from women!” One man yells out and they all laugh.

“You will take orders from your empress!” She fumes.

“What you gonna teach us?” Another soldier calls out, “How to run away in the middle of a fight? Isn’t that what you did?”

They laugh and jeer and River seethes. “I am your empress and your commander and you _will_ respect me!” She demands.

“Oh yeah I’ll respect you alright darling!” Comes a jeer. “Respect how good you look in all that leather,” he nudges his comrades and they jeer and whistle, making rude gestures and calling out filthy comments to her.

“Bet she looks even better out of it though ey love?” A man taunts as he steps up behind her and grabs her backside. Something snaps inside River in that instant and she has whirled in his grasp, hauled her sword out of its holster and buried it in his gut before the man can so much as blink.

Coughing as blood spills from his open mouth, his eyes bulging, River sneers in disgust and wrenches her sword out of him. He falls to the floor at her feet, dead.

She wipes the blood from her sword on her tunic, turning her eyes on her suddenly silent, shocked troops. “Any more questions?”

They are silent, staring at River and their former comrade in horror.

“No?” She steps over the man’s body as she sheathes her sword and the men shuffle quickly out of her path. She pauses, casting her steely gaze over her troops. “Get. In line.”

They scramble to obey.

“You don’t want to take orders from a woman, hm?” She says as she strolls steadily down the line of men. “What, think you’re better than me? Stronger? I’ve been training to fight longer than you idiots have been alive, and I am better, faster and deadlier than all of you put together.” Getting to the end of the line she turns, and takes a moment to cast narrowed eyes over the men, finding any watching her snapping their gazes to the front as soon as she looks at them.

“I have no time for disobedience in my army,” she continues, walking back the other way. “Any man who can not obey me is of no use to me.” Reaching the dead soldier on the ground she pointedly steps over his body and is certain she hears several of the men gulp. She turns to face them, looking them over.

“You, you, you… you. And you.” she points her fingers at five men in the front row, three of which at least she is certain had been responsible for several of the hollered comments.

The men glance at each other and shuffled forward, watching her warily as she withdraws her sword. She steps back to give them some space and takes a stance, flashing them a cocky smirk. “Disarm me.”

The men pull out their swords but glance at each other, unsure.

“A - all of us at once, your highness?”

She quirks an eyebrow. “Oh, I know it’s a bit unfair - but I’ve been out of practice.” They look at each other, confused. “Don’t worry,” she grins, “I’ll go easy on you.”

One man is brave enough to finally charge her with a yell, and River neatly lands him on his back in the dirt, winded, his sword flying through the air for her to catch. She twirls the two of them, laughing. “So now it’s really unfair - but you’ve your friend to thank for that.”

Three of the remaining men go for her at once, with the other not far behind, and one by one, River relieves them of their swords and their dignity. When the last man lands on the floor with a thud and River’s boot on his chest and sword pointing at his neck, she is surprised when the troops break out into cheers and whistles.

She holsters her weapon, taking a moment to enjoy the sound as she walks away from the men on the ground and then faces the army again. “Quiet!” She barks, and they immediately settle down. Satisfied she continues. “You want to learn to fight like me? Then you obey me with no questions asked. I once had the best trained army in all the world - and I intend to have it again.”

\--

A couple of hours later, after a long but satisfying training session, on the conclusion of which River is at least confident that she now has the men’s respect and desire to improve, she wraps it up with threats to practice and be better next time she sees them. She orders two men to remove the body of the soldier she had dispatched at the beginning of the session and dismisses the rest of the troops for the day.

“Gods above - what happened!?”

River whirls on the spot to see her husband approaching, his eyes wide as he watches the two men drag away the body of the soldier, a trail of blood staining the dirt behind him.

“What - what are you doing here, sweetie?” She says, a little startled to see him as the men file out of the training court.

“I - came to see how training was going,” he says, looking between River and the man being dragged away, “What _happened?”_

Looking away, River sheathes her sword, turning to walk towards her tent. “He attacked me.”

_“What?_ ” The Doctor hurries after her. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“River - I told you you need to be careful with these troops - they aren’t your old army and many in this city may not be loyal to you yet -”

“I said I’m _fine,_ Doctor, honestly. You know I can handle myself.”

Catching up with her, he places a hand on her arm. “It’s not just yourself though right now, is it?” says in a low voice, hand moving to her stomach.

River’s eyes going wide, she bats him away crossly, glancing round worriedly as she hisses, “Are you mad? I don’t need anyone knowing about this just yet!”

The Doctor frowns. “They’re going to know pretty soon, River.”

“Well I’d rather keep it as pretty soon. And I resent the implication that I can’t protect our child.”

He sighs. “I wasn’t saying that. I just worry.”

“Well don’t.” She stops outside her tent, leaning up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek. She nods her head towards the tent. “Come and help me change and wash up; I want to get something to eat before this afternoon.”

She makes to tow him inside but the Doctor pulls his hands from her, shaking his head. “Can’t, sorry. I promised Livia I’d take her out to see the city today.”

“Oh… okay.”

“You can manage?”

“Of course I can manage,” she waves him off. “Go have fun with our daughter - and take a couple of guards with you.”

“Will do, dear,” he rolls his eyes and kisses her on the cheek before leaving.

\--

River is already settled back in her chambers for the night when the Doctor gets back that evening. Having sent Livia off to her room to wash up and change before dinner. River sits him down at the table and gives him a quick run through of her afternoon, filling his head with more important figures and problems.

She is in the middle talking of her plans to start renovating the city when something catches the Doctor’s eye in the corner of the room, and he notices a girl hovering in the corner of River’s chambers.

“River,” he stops her mid sentence, motioning with his head to the girl and asking in a lowered voice, “Who’s that?”

“Oh um - what did you say your name was?” River calls over to her.

Looking up with wide eyes, the girl quickly curtsies. “Serra, your highness.”

“Serra. She’ll be staying in here from now on.”

The Doctor raises his eyebrows. “Staying here? What? Why?”

“Well to look after me - and you,” she frowns, “What do you mean why?”

He opens his mouth to reply when a knock on the door interrupts them. At a wave of River’s hand, Serra hurries to open it and Livia runs in, followed by the woman looking after her, who River immediately dismisses.

“There’s my girl,” River smiles, moving over to her, “Did you have a good time with your father today?”

“Yes,” she nods excitedly, “We saw the whole city!”

“Did you?” Says River, guiding Livia to a chair, “And what did you think of it?”

Their daughter is soon chatting a mile a minute about the wonders she had seen, and River is calling for their dinner to be brought up so they can eat together. After giving a detailed account of her afternoon, by which time they are halfway through dinner, the little girl pauses, looking up at River from her place beside her at the table.

“I missed you mummy.”

Looking a little startled, River reaches over and strokes a hand affectionately through Livia’s hair. “I know I’ve been busy today, I’m sorry.”

“Will you be busy tomorrow?”

“I’m afraid so.”

Livia looks down into her dinner and the Doctor catches River’s wide eyes from across the table.

“I’ll tell you what honey,” River says after a pause. “I have to see to some of the city’s people tomorrow - why don’t you come sit with my in the throne room, hm?”

Livia looks up, face lighting up. “Really?”

“Really,” River nods.

“River,” the Doctor says in a low voice from across the table, “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Of course,” She frowns at him, “It will be good for Livia to learn some things.”

“Yes, but -”

“Doctor,” she cuts him off with a warning look, a glare he recognises well as a threat to be quiet immediately.

He purses his lips and goes back to his meal, resolving to talk to River properly about the subject in private later as she and their daughter chatter on happily together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about the flimsy ending but it was just going on forever if I didn't cut myself off somewhere haha... as always I really appreciate all your lovely comments you wonderful people <3 Chapters may be a little slower now I'm back at uni but I am going to try and keep on top of this story - I have too much planned to let it get neglected hahaa ;)


	5. Chapter 5

 

Sitting in silence across from his wife, the Doctor picks at his breakfast. He reaches for his glass of juice to find it empty; Serra hurries forward and tops it up. “Thank you,” he turns to smile kindly at her, and looking a little startled, she nods quickly and backs away.

“I assume you won’t be coming with us today,” River says.

The Doctor frowns into his glass of juice. “No.”

River pushes her chair back, getting to her feet.

“My cloak,” she says, and Serra rushes to obey as River glaces at the Doctor. “I’ll… see you later then,” she hedges.

“Fine,” he says without looking up.

There is a pause, before; “Fine,” River snaps, and marches off, closing the door behind her noisily.

The Doctor grinds his teeth - he had lost the argument last night - for that is what it had turned into when he mentioned after Livia had been sent to bed that he didn’t think it was a good idea for her to accompany River today. She had won in the end when she told him crossly that _he_ could be the one to go into Livia’s room and disappoint the little girl - who had left earlier buzzing with excitement about the day ahead. She also made it quite plain that when their daughter came crying to her - as she no doubt would, she would make no secret of where she stood on the matter. It was a low tactic, and one that ensured she got her way and the Doctor wasn’t pleased with her for using it.

It wasn’t so much that he was worried about their daughters safety in parading her about for all to see; they couldn’t keep her shut away forever while they were here, of course, and he knew River would die before she let anything happen to her. But it was soon - very soon, to let all of Rome know that River hadn’t returned alone, for once a few had seen her the news would spread fast. And then there was also the fact that the Doctor remembered these audiences River held with the people of her city to approach her with their problems - and he remembers how they had often ended for the people in question. River is different now, of course - but she had also been away for a long time, and with the city in the state it was in… these problems that would be brought forth were not likely to be suitable for a child to hear - their daughter is worldly beyond her years but she is still just a child. What about the people River would have to turn away - to tell she couldn’t help? He doesn’t think Livia should be exposed to their suffering, no matter how much River had argued that anything like that would go over her head.

Pushing his breakfast plate away and sighing, the Doctor moves to the other end of the large table where some papers he and River had been looking at the previous evening are still strewn, and he sets about rustling through them as Serra moves to clear away the breakfast things.

His eyes drift over to the slave girl as she works, contemplatively. She is a slight thing with olive skin and dark colouring and he sees now that although petit, she is older than he had first assumed her - perhaps in her early twenties. It is a strange sort of out-of-body experience to see one go about the life he used to have - he was her, effectively - in another lifetime now, but still, the fact remains and because of it he feels a… connection to her, despite the fact that he hardly knows her yet.

“Where are you from, Serra?”

Looking utterly startled at having been spoken to, Serra bows her head and replies quickly, “Cyprus, your grace.”

“You speak latin well,” he says, “Have you been over here long?”

Eyes still on the table, hands frozen on the jug and glass she had been tidying away, she nods. “Since I was a girl.”

“Do you miss it?” He asks gently. “Cyprus, I mean - home.”

After a pause in which Serra glances at him with wide eyes, she appears to relax at the soft expression on his face and nods.

“Every day, sir.”

Frowning sadly, the Doctor makes Serra a silent promise to return her home one day. He gives her a sad smile and goes back to his papers, and when he notices her hovering, he glances up to find her watching him carefully as if awaiting his permission to resume her duties.

“Oh, um - sorry, don’t let me interrupt you.” He hesitates. “Do you want some help?”

“H - help, sir?” She squeaks.

He nods at the table. “Clearing away. I can carry some things to the kitchens if you like.”

Her eyes wide, she shakes her head furiously. “No, no your grace, thank you your grace, I can manage… thank you.”

She scurries off soon after, returning a short while later and cleaning the table before hovering near by.

Several minutes tick by and the Doctor is buried in figures when the quiet sound of a throat clearing gives him pause.

“Your grace?” Serra says, sounding hesitant to be speaking out of term - frightened, as if worried she may be reprimanded for daring to do so.

He puts down his quill and smiles at her encouragingly. “You don’t have to call me that, you know. Just ‘Doctor’ will do.”

“Oh,” her eyes are wide as she shakes her head, “I couldn’t sir.”

He sighs. “Is there something you wanted to ask me?”

She hesitates before nodding. “Is it… true, what they say about you, your grace? That… you were once one of us?”

He nods. “Yes, it’s true. I had your job, actually. I was River - the empress’s personal slave. And she and I, we… well…” He trails off, not certain how to finish until Serra fills in for him:

“You fell in love?”

A little surprised, he nods, a smile coming to his lips.

“I suppose that’s what happened, yes.”

“And… she - her majesty that is - gave up the throne to be with you?”

He shifts in his seat. “It was complicated.”

When he glances over at Serra he finds her watching him with a wistful smile.

“She must love you very much.”

He sighs, looking down and shoving a hand through his hair. “She does. And I, her.”

Serra bows her head with a smile as she turns away to set about her duties. The Doctor tries to concentrate on the documents in front of him but finds they can’t hold his attention that morning, and after a short while he gives up and digs out some of his own work; research and formulas he hadn’t touched since arriving in Rome. He spends a couple of hours going through things, trying to get himself to concentrate and make some progress, but his mind keeps wandering to his wife and daughter - and Serra’s words going round his head. Finally, he admits defeat, and pushes his chair back from the table as he stands.

“I’ve remembered somewhere I need to be,” He explains to Serra as he passes her, and waves her off when she makes to fetch his cloak. “I can manage, thank you,” he smiles at the girl, throwing his cloak on and leaving his chambers.

On his way to the throne room, the Doctor pauses in the hallway, stepping aside to let a group of townsfolk bustle past. He catches their conversation as they pass him.

“It’s true - a little girl. And her highness so patient and gentle with her… maybe we were all wrong - maybe she’s changed.”

“If she’s a family perhaps she’ll rule differently…”

“I truly believe we have nothing to fear - she listened to us, really listened… I never knew there was a soft side to that woman but perhaps motherhood has changed her.”

“We must spread the word - let everyone know her return may be reason for rejoice!”

Their voices die down as they round the corner and head out of the palace and the Doctor stares after them, contemplative.

By the time he reaches the throne room itself, River is wrapping up the morning, standing from her throne and dismissing all those present. She looks up and catches the Doctor’s eyes from across the hall and he offers a tentative smile and a small wave. River rolls her eyes, turning away from him to take her daughter’s hand, but he sees the smile on her lips from across the room.

“Speaking to me now, are we?” River says when she and Livia meet him halfway across the hall.

“I was never not speaking to you,” he mumbles as he scoops his daughter up in his arms. “And how was your morning sweetheart?”

“Good!” Livia beams, and then glances at her mother before leaning forward to whisper loudly in his ear. “A bit boring honestly.”

He catches River’s eyes and chuckles, kissing Livia on the cheek before placing her back on her feet. He takes her hand, and River takes her other, and they let her fill the space between them with her happy chatter as they make their way back up to River’s chambers. They pass some people on their way up just outside the throne room; the last of those she’d met with still milling about, and when they bow lowly to them and move to let them pass, River smiles kindly, and the Doctor does not miss the looks of astonishment on their faces, and the awe-filled whispers that start up behind them as soon as they pass.

Once Livia is left in her room and he and River are shut inside their own, he turns to her, arms folded.

“What?” She says as she shrugs off her cloak.

“I heard some of the townsfolk talking as they left the hall.”

“Yes,” she says, “And?”

“And... they think you’ll be a better ruler now they’ve seen you with Livia.”

River turns to sling her cloak over a chair. “Do they?”

“You knew what you were doing,” he says, “That’s why you wanted her with you, wasn’t it?”

Turning back to face him, River sighs, running a hand through her curls, and shrugs. “I knew it wouldn’t hurt the people’s opinion on me… but I wanted her with me because I wanted to spend time with my daughter.”

“Hm,” he comments. “No wonder you were so adamant she accompany you.”

River plants her hands on her hips, indignant. “Don’t accuse me of using Livia like that Doctor - I didn’t want to neglect her any longer - anything else that came of her being with me this morning was a happy benefit. You know she’s the most precious thing in the world to me.”

He drops his arms and averts his eyes, nodding. “I know.” He sighs. “I suppose… it didn’t hurt then.”

“No, it didn’t,” she agrees a little curtly before a pause, and face softens. “ So,” she says, stepping close to him and cautiously sliding her hands up round his neck. “Does this mean you admit I was right?”

“Don’t be silly,” he says, “I’d never admit that.”

“And don’t I know it,” River snorts, rolling her eyes and standing up on her tiptoes to press her lips to his jaw.

“I love you,” he sighs, resigned.

“I know,” she smiles, pecking him on the lips before dropping back to the floor. “That’s why you’re going to help me go through these tax reports for the last eight years,” she says cheerfully, wandering over to the table.

He groans. “Why? Can’t we just work out suitable amounts and set new taxes now?”

“No,” she says, sitting down in front of the huge pile of papers somebody must have deposited here when they were out. “I can’t fix the economy if I don’t know every single detail as to why it’s failed so badly over the years Doctor; you know that.”

He grumbles as he plops into a seat and River pushes a pile of papers towards him with one hand, already engrossed in her own.

“Am I getting paid for this?”

“I’ll pay you in sexual favours,” she drawls without looking up.

“Your chancellors get paid - why don’t I get paid?”

“We’re married sweetie, what’s mine is yours.”

“Is it?” He leers.

She glances up with a smirk and winks at him before going back to her work.

\--

A couple of weeks pass, and the Doctor and River settle into their roles - easily it seems, in River’s case, for she only had to step back into the position she’d spent most of her life in, for the Doctor it hadn’t - isn’t - quite so easy to adjust. Being River’s official right hand is certainly a vast improvement on the position he was in during the time he spent here before, but sometimes it feels so different it is impossible. He isn’t accepted, he knows that. When River is present nobody dares open their mouth against him, but when she isn’t the majority of her council won’t listen to a word he says. It is frustrating and infuriating, that they regard a man to be insignificant and of less value than themselves in this way. It is something he has to deal with alone; he doesn’t dare mention to River the way he is treated in her absence for it will only infuriate her, and back in her position of power he isn’t certain what she might choose to do to the men in question as punishment.

A trial had been held for Tiberius the former emperor, and he had, inevitably, been executed.

Many wondered why a trial had been held at all, but River had been firm in her decision and sat attentively through five hours of listening to his crimes and defences before making her ruling. He knows her people will respect her all the more for Tiberius’s execution having been proven to be just, rather than if River had simply killed him on the spot the day she took back the throne. The people of Rome and their opinions are important to River this time round, in a way that baffles most of her council but makes him incredibly proud of how kind and caring she has become - of course, he knew that, but it is wonderful to see it so plainly through the choices she is making now she is back on the throne.

Apart from their disagreement over Livia the day River had taken her to meet her city’s people with her, they had so far found themselves on the same page. He realises it is probably because they hardly got time to spend time alone together - if they weren’t in meetings or seeing to matters of importance together they were doing so separately - River spending a lot of time training her army and the Doctor down in the city, helping where he could. Any free time they had was either spent with their daughter, or pouring over papers together, and come night they both fell asleep exhausted the moment they fell into bed.

“I miss you,” River breaches the subject one night, after a dinner in the great hall that had gone on long into the night.

The Doctor’s hands pause on the laces of his sandals. “I’m right here,” he says, glancing up at River who sits at her dressing table pulling pins out of her hair.

Her eyes find his in the mirror. “You know what I mean.”

He sighs, undoing the rest of the laces and pulling his shoes from his feet. “It has been a while,” he agrees.

“It’s been _forever,_ ” River bemoans, “And I want you so much all day - and then by the time we get to bed at night and we’re finally alone I fall asleep on you straight away.”

The Doctor chuckles, getting to his feet and crossing the room to stand behind River, placing his hands on her shoulders and kneading his fingers gently into her skin. “You are pregnant, dear,” he says, “and you’re running an entire empire; it’s no wonder you’re exhausted. Maybe you should ease up on the training a bit - you’re down there most days.”

“I can’t,” she shakes her head. “I need to do as much as I can _while_ I still can, the army has a long way to go.”

He sweeps her mass of curls to the side over her shoulder and presses his thumbs into the back of her neck, rubbing small circles. River moans and lets her head tilt back, eyes closing.

“Still,” he continues, “You need to relax sometimes; it’s not good for the baby to go flat out like you do.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she says, but there is a teasing smile playing on her lips.

“I wouldn’t dare - merely a suggestion, dear,” he grins, bending to drop a kiss to the top of her head.

She opens her eyes to look at him in the mirror. “Why don’t you help me relax then?”

“I can do that,” he smiles, pressing his fingertips firmer into her shoulders, but River stands, brushing his hands aside and moving over to their bed. She drops her robe and slips between the sheets, settling back and beckoning the Doctor with a crooked finger and a loaded smirk. He all but stumbles over to her, clambering up into bed beside her and letting her sit up and peel his toga over his head before winding his arms around her and pulling her to him, kissing her deeply.

They topple back against the pillows and River wastes no time in rolling them, shifting herself on top of him and sliding a leg over his hip. Her nails rake down over his chest and she sucks on his tongue as she grinds herself against him; he can feel the wet heat of her against his thigh and lets his hands glide down over her bare back, pulling her more firmly to him. River parts from his mouth to gasp, drawing in ragged breaths as her lips move down over his jawline and neck, hips moving in a steady rhythm and the Doctor groans, just about to slide a hand round between their bodies when something abruptly occurs to him. “River, wait,” he says, hands on her hips to still her movements.

“What?” She says, slightly irritated.

“Serra is outside…”

“Who?”

He raises his eyebrows at her. “Your slave girl?”

“Oh. So…?”

“So,” he says, squirming as she slides her hot tongue over his collarbone. “We can’t have sex with someone _right_ in the other room!” He hisses.

“Why not? I had sex with _you_ in the other room,” she smirks, “And with you right here too, actually…”

“River,” he says.

“Mm?” She murmurs, kissing her way down his chest.

“River,” his voice more firm, he stops her downward descent with hands strong on her sides. “We _can’t._ ”

She rolls her eyes. “So send her out then.”

“But - she doesn’t have anywhere to go…”

River huffs, rolling abruptly off him. “Well what am I supposed to do about that?” She demands, cross. “Not have sex with my husband because he doesn’t want to embarrass my slave girl?”

“I don’t see why we need her at all,” he argues, careful to keep his voice low. “You managed just fine without a slave for eight years.”

“Yes,” she says, annoyed, “But I’m the empress again now, and it’s what’s expected.”

“But why can’t you change that?”

“What?”

He turns on his side to look into her eyes. “Why do we have to have slaves? Why can’t they be paid for their work - free to go if they wish…”

River sits up, clasping the sheet to her chest as she stares down at the Doctor. “Are you serious?”

He frowns. “Of course I’m serious - they’re _people_ River -”

“Bloody hell Doctor!” She exclaims. “I came here to help the city get back on it’s feet and now you want me to abolish slavery?”

“Why not?” He sits up too.

“Because! That’s… _huge_.” She shakes her head. “That’s not what I came here for.”

“You came here to help people - they’re people!”

“I _know_ that,” she says. “But… this culture has had slaves for thousands of years.”

He watches her steadily. “Then don’t you think it’s about time somebody did something about it?”

River is silent, frowning at him a moment before breaking eye contact.

“You don’t know what you’re asking of me,” she says quietly.

“Yes,” the Doctor replies, voice equally lowered, “I do.”

Another few moments pass in which River frowns down at the sheets in her lap, before, letting out a heavy sigh, she clambers out of bed, wrapping a sheet around her and clasping it to her chest as she pads out of their bedchamber. He hears the low murmur of her voice in the other room, and then the opening and closing over a door before River reappears.

“I sent her to sleep in Livia’s chambers,” she says from her place by the door and quirks an eyebrow. “Happy?”

“Hmm.” He comments.

Rive lets the sheet she is holding around her drop to the floor. “Now,” she purrs, eyeing him up and down as she strolls slowly back towards him and climbs up onto the bed. “Where were we?” He opens his mouth to reply, but thinks better of breaching the subject again; in all honesty he is too tired, and he _has_ missed his wife like this, desperately. And so he sighs, letting himself fall down onto his back as River crawls over him and settles on his hips, his hands going to her thighs, and as she leans down to kiss him he lets the matter slip to the back of his mind and his wife engulf all his senses.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this chapter took so long, it's been a completely hectic month for me, and I also apologise for not having replied individually to the comments on the last chapter, let me thank you all soo much for your lovely words now, I lovee reading all your wonderful insightful comments so much they seriously make my day I really really appreciate them and I promise I'll make time to reply properly in future! :*


	6. Chapter 6

 

“Why did nobody tell me about this!?” River rages, her hands balled into fists on the table.

“We didn’t know, your majesty!” One of her council exclaims. “We had no idea they were planning to attack us!”

“But you _knew_ the city was raising an army,” River accuses. “And you knew they had a grudge against Rome - didn’t your _stupid brains_ put two and two together!?”

The room is silent.

River has been back on the throne just a little shy of six weeks now. Things had been going well - River was steadily but surely rebuilding the empire with the Doctor at her side - nothing was happening fast but it was happening; Rome wasn’t built in a day after all, and so much longer than a day it would take to rebuild it. The city was still in a lot of debt but now at least, was trading again and an income was steadily beginning to trickle in. River had resorted to selling ten of Rome’s ships; it wasn’t something she’d done lightly but the immediate threats to Rome lay inland, and it was important to have the resources to build up those defences first - the navy could be rebuilt when they had the capital.

River herself was growing, but thanks to the fashions of loose flowing dresses and big cloaks she could wrap around her, she hadn’t needed to disclose her current state to anyone yet. She and the Doctor both knew they wouldn’t be able to hide it for much longer and the Doctor thought continuing to do so was silly, but River wanted to make sure her position on the throne was secure and she had enough loyal to her until it became public knowledge; being pregnant made her vulnerable, and River hated to be vulnerable.

So far her reign had been met with little resistance. There had been small discontented mumblings within the palace but those had been taken care of, and River had been clever and quick enough to get the people of the city on her side, earning their favour by helping them before even turning to what would be considered more important matters. Things were almost going a little too well - that was until an urgent meeting had been called that morning, and reports disclosed that spies had discovered a city on Rome’s outskirts was plotting an invasion.

“We can’t let them reach the city,” River decides. “The defences are not strong enough to withstand an attack yet - half the bloody wall isn’t even standing, if they attack we’ll lose everything!”

“You said the army isn’t ready for battle -”

“Well we don’t have much choice, Galleus.” She snaps. “The element of suprise is the only way we can win this. We’ll ride out tonight. Press an attack on the city and wipe out their army before they can even think about coming here.”

“You can’t go into battle!”

Everyone’s heads, including River’s whip round to face the Doctor, sitting beside her with wide eyes.

“I don’t have a _choice_ , sweetie,” River says through gritted teeth.

“But you - you -” He flails for words, eyes darting round the table. “You’re… too important to Rome right now. We can’t risk you - you have to stay here!”

“My army doesn’t have a hope without me, Doctor,” River says, glaring at him in a way that silently warns him to stop making a scene.

“River, you _cannot_ fight!”

“I have to!”

As a stiff silence follows her raised voice, and the Doctor glances around at the faces of her chancellors, all watching them warily, a little stunned clearly by the display. Getting abruptly to his feet, the Doctor takes hold of River’s arm.

“A word alone, please,” He says.

She shrugs him off crossly. “Anything you want to say you can say here.”

“I really don’t think you’d want me to do that,” he watches her evenly as she glares up at him before finally she gets to her feet.

“Gentlemen, please excuse us,” She says, before marching out of the hall with the Doctor on her heels.

“You are _not_ going to battle!” The Doctor hisses as soon as they are alone in the hallway outside.

“How dare you undermine me in front of my council like that!” River fumes, but the Doctor is not discouraged.

“You’re pregnant, River! That is my baby you’re carrying and I won’t let you risk both your lives!”

“I won’t be risking our lives - I can take care of myself you know that!”

“This is not the time to be stubborn! This is serious. Have you forgotten what happened the last time you went to war carrying a baby?”

She slaps him, hard, and his water. “Ow!”

“How dare you bring that up,” She breathes, “That wasn’t my _choice_.”

“But this _is,_ ” He argues, hand pressed to his cheek.

River looks away from him, breathing hard, and he notices her hand go to her stomach as her brow furrows and she squeezes her eyes shut.

Softening, the Doctor lowers his hand and steps forward, placing it instead on her face. “I’m sorry,” he apologises, “I didn’t mean to drag up bad memories - I wasn’t thinking.”

River is silent another moment before she opens her eyes and looks at him. “No, you’re right,” she says quietly. “I can’t go to war like this.”

Breathing out a sigh of relief, the Doctor steps in and wraps his arms round her. She allows the embrace for a few seconds before she shoves at him and steps back.”But don’t argue with me in front of my entire council like that again,” she snaps. “You should have just asked to speak to me privately instead of telling me what I can and can’t do in front of everyone - I know I’m your wife but here I’m the _empress_ Doctor, do you not understand what that means?”

“Of course I do,” he sighs, shoving a hand through his hair. “I just - panicked. I’m sorry.”

She huffs, turning away from him. “Let’s get back inside - I need to come up with another plan.”

He follows her back into the hall, the occupants of it falling quiet as soon as they appear.  

“I apologise for before,” River says, calm as she takes her seat again and the Doctor beside her. “But… my husband is right; I can’t go to battle myself..." She glances at him and he gives her a small encouraging nod - she knows has to give them an explanation now. She takes a deep breath. "I’m with child.”

A short, stiff silence follows her words, until Marcus speaks up to her left, breaking out into a smile.

“Congradulations! That’s happy news - of course, you must keep yourself safe.”

A few murmurs of agreement follow his words and River thanks him and nods.

“That’s true but - what to do about this army? The generals are nowhere near capable of leading the troops yet - sending them off alone would be a disaster…”

“I’ll go.”

The entire table goes utterly silent, staring at the Doctor as if he had grown an extra head.

“Very funny sweetie,” River huffs from next to him, rolling her eyes.

“I’m not joking,” he says seriously, and as murmurs start up round the table, River leans in.

“Doctor!” She hisses, “Don’t be ridiculous, you can’t fight!”

“No - I know that - I won’t need to fight, listen,” He speaks up for everyone to hear, “This isn’t about conquering or, or destroying an enemy is it? This is about preventing an attack on Rome. We don’t _need_ to engage their army - we don’t even need to fight them.”

Everyone is shooting bemused glances at each other, and River places a hand on his arm. “Doctor -”

“I take some of your troops, we ride out to the city, scout the area and wait until nightfall and then sneak into the city, set fire to their armory and release all their horses from the stables. What happens if they have no weapons and no horses? - No attack!”

More silence, a pause that stretches out over the seconds until River speaks up.

“I hate to say it but he may be on to something.”

“But - your majesty!” Darius scoffs. “Forgive me for the impertinence but allowing a man with no experience in battle whatsoever to lead an army is _ludicrous.”_

River rolls her eyes. “Don’t ask forgiveness for something you’re not sorry for Darius,” she snipes, and the man shifts in his seat, chastised but clearly displeased.

Ignoring him, she turns to the Doctor. “You’d need to infiltrate unnoticed.”

“Nothing that couldn’t be carried out with a little scouting and preparation.”

“It’s still dangerous - you wouldn’t need to go in yourself, just ride out and plan the attack and instruct the army,” She says, but the Doctor shakes his head.

“They’d have the best chance with me in there with them, you know that.”

River bites her lip, shaking her head. “I don’t like the idea of you in the middle of what could turn into a battle.”

He reaches over between them and places his hand over hers. “It’s better than the idea of you being in there.”

They look at each other for a moment before the sound of a throat clearing breaks their gaze.

“Is this to be the new plan, your highness?” Asks a grey haired man across the table.

River sighs, turning her attention to her chancellors. “Yes .They’ll ride out tomorrow at dawn - the sooner the better. Inform the generals and make preparations, the Doctor and I will work out the details alone.”

“I still say an attack would be best. This is too risky,” Darius argues, a frown on his face, “He doesn’t know what he’s doing and if it fails they’ll be angered and attack us quicker.”

Mutters of agreement go around the table and some even bang their fists on the table in accordance.

River’s eyes grow cold.

“Doctor can you step outside for a moment?” She asks quietly.

“What?” He frowns. “No, I’m staying here!”

“Please,” she says.

He shakes his head once. “No.”

“Fine,” River utters, closing her eyes for a moment amongst the loud voices in the hall and blowing out a deep breath through her nostrils before she snaps open her eyes and stands abruptly, chair scraping loudly against the floor. “Silence!” She demands, the shout echoing round the vast hall as all fall quiet immediately at the outburst. She looks around the table, glaring at those who had dared to defy her.

“You may think I’ve changed since I was last in power and that I am no longer the cruel, ruthless person I was then and you think that means you can walk all over me? That you can open your mouths and spout off your worthless opinions in my presence? Because I warn you now, you are sorely mistaken. People do not _change_ … I may have learnt what is important in life and how to use my power to do the right thing… but I am still that same person I was then. All those terrible stories you heard about me? All true. I’m not a different person. I am the woman who took this empire by force at fifteen years old, who made the previously undefeated former emperor beg for mercy before I strung him up outside the palace and made the entire city watch him burn. You know what I am capable of and if you push me, you will experience it first hand. This is not a democracy. I have made my decision and it will be respected.” She gives the men one last steady glare. “That’s all, see to it that what I asked for is done,” she says, and turns on her heel to march out of the hall, the Doctor scrambling from his seat to hurry after her.

He catches up with her outside and falls into pace beside her as she marches through the castle.

“Quite a speech,” he manages after a moments tense silence.

River glances at him and bites her lip.  

“I…”

“It’s fine,” the Doctor mutters, hand going to her lower back. “You had to frighten them into respecting you, I understand that. I know you didn’t mean what you said.”

“...Yeah.” She clears her throat and looks away. “So, we have a lot of planning to do - and, actually... we should probably see about getting you acquainted with my army...”

\--

River had a training session planned for that afternoon, and she decided that she would take the opportunity to prep her army for the upcoming mission. She’d told the Doctor to meet her down there at the end of it; she would introduce him officially to her troops then.

When he arrives in her training court late that afternoon however, her troops are nowhere to be seen. Confused, he approaches River, practising some moves on her own in the middle of the court.

“You’re late,” she says as he reaches her, swinging for an imaginary opponent.

“Only a bit.” He makes a show of looking around. “Where are the men?” He turns to look back at River and sees her holding out a sword, hilt towards him. He looks between her and it, eyebrows raised.

“I’m not letting you go out there without at least some basic skills,” She says.

Eyes widening, the Doctor holds up his hands, backing away. “No,” he says. “I don’t do weapons, River - you know that.”

“Just take it, Doctor.”

“No.”

“Doctor!”

_“No_ , River.”

“Fine, I’m going then,” She says, tossing the sword to the ground and turning on her heel.

“You are not!”

She whirls back to face him, green eyes flashing with determination. “Pick up the sword then, or I swear Doctor, I will pull rank on you and have you held here while I leave with the army.” They stare each other down for a moment before her face softens. “Look, I’m not asking you to kill anyone - I’ll just show you some basic defences and disarming techniques that will leave your enemies in tact but save your life if you’re attacked. Please.”

The Doctor glances at the sword lying on the ground between them. “That’s all?” He asks warily after a moment.

“Yes. Promise. I just want you to be able to protect yourself.”

Another moment passes before he relents, and with a heavy sigh, bends and picks up the sword.

A smile breaking out across River’s face, she withdraws her own sword from it’s holster and takes a stance opposite him. “Right,” She says. “Attack me.”

His eyes bulge. “What!?”

“I’m going to teach you how to parry a move: swing at me.”

Looking dubious, the Doctor steps forward and weakly swings his sword in River’s general direction. She lifts her own, locks it with his and twists, sending his flying out of his grasp and clattering to the floor.

“Give me a bit of effort sweetie, come on.”

“I don’t want to hurt you!” The Doctor exclaims as he bends to pick up his weapon. “I’m not going to aim a lethel weapon at my pregnant wife!”

“I’m a trained killer, Doctor,” River says, looking unamused, “I assure you, you would never land a blow on me in a million years, no matter how determined you were to do so. Now, again. _Properly.”_

Grumbling, the Doctor takes a better grip on his sword and focuses himself. He aims, swings, blinks and - the sword is in River’s left hand.

He looks at his own empty hand in bemusement as River twirls the two swords smugly. “How did you do that?”

River grins. “That’s what I’m going to teach you.”

\--

The next morning, Rivers fingers tremble a little as she buckles him into armour. He’d protested of course but she’d insisted, and there was no use arguing with River when she was determined.

“I can’t move in this River,” he whines. “It’s uncomfortable.”

“I don’t care if you had to hop on one leg with your hands tied behind your back if it kept you from being killed. Now stop fidgeting.”

He lets out a huff, and after a moment, when she fumbles with a buckle on his side, he moves his hands to help her.

“Here,” he says quietly, brushing her fingers aside and deftly securing the tie. He takes her hands in his own. “I’ll be fine, River.”

She lets out a breath and nods, before stepping back to give him a once over. She motions for him to turn and he does so grudgingly, feeling ridiculous as he creaks and clatters.

“It suits you,” she gives him a small smirk. “You look sexy.”

The Doctor snorts. “It’s not nice to make fun of people.”

“I’m not!” She chuckles, raking her eyes over him appreciatively and giving him a wink. “Always loved a man in armour.”

He rolls his eyes. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Anything you like.”

“Don’t start,” he warns at her low purr.

River smirks before turning and retrieving his sword, which she slides into the hoster she’d buckled round his waist.

“Now - you remember everything I taught you yesterday?”

“Yes dear - it was only yesterday.”

“Don’t be smart with me Doctor I’m being serious. You don’t go for this as a last resort - I’ve showed you how to use it to defend yourself and you need to promise me you’ll do it if it comes to it.”  
“I promise,” he sighs.

She nods, satisfied. “The army will listen to you. They’ve been threatened under pain of death.

He snorts. “And they’re terrified enough of you by now to obey I imagine.”

“Too right,” River smirks. “Any trouble just remind them who you’re married to.”

“That makes me feel distinctly emasculated.”

River coos mockingly, stepping in close to him. “Don’t worry sweetie, come back to me in one piece and you can remind me how very manly you are.” She gives him a pointed squeeze through his toga causing him to emit a squeak of surprise and waggle his finger at her as she smirks at him. She drapes her hands up round his neck as she looks into his eyes and the smile falls from her face.

“Come back to me in one piece,” she says again, serious this time, her voice laced with a hint of fear.

He gives her a brave smile, placing a kiss on her forehead. “Don’t worry,” he says.

“I mean it Doctor… don’t do anything heroic, please just… come back to me safe. I need you… we need you.”

He nods. “I’ll be fine.”

“ _Promise_ me,” she insists.

He sighs. “I promise I’ll try.”

She looks down, stepping back out of his arms as she sniffs. “Gods I hate being pregnant,” she mutters as she wipes crossly at her eyes.

The Doctor places his hands on her cheeks, thumbs wiping away the tears that have managed to escape against her will.

“Don’t worry dear, five months and you’ll be back to your emotionless self.”

“Shut up,” she snorts thickly, smacking his arm. “Go on, get out of here before I’m a mess.”

When River watches him ride off from the steps of her palace her hand tight round Livia’s, she sends a silent prayer to the gods she doesn’t believe in, begging for her husband to return to her well.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

 

Elbow resting on the side of her bathtub, River puts her head in her hand and closes her eyes, letting out a sigh and trying not to think about (for the hundredth time that day) where the Doctor might be by now. They could have reached the city by now if they’d pressed on; would he be out scouting the area? Making plans already? They could theoretically plan and execute their mission tonight and she feels her stomach tie in a tighter knot, and hopes he takes the time to plan properly - wait another day if necessary to make it safer.

Rubbing her temples, River lets out another long exhalation of air.   

“Your highness should try to relax; stress is not good for the baby.”

River snaps her eyes open, startled at the voice of her slave girl, Serra, hovering near the bathtub with a jug.

“Excuse me?”

The girl looks down at her feet, fidgeting. “Your husband… he asked me to look after you before he left, your highness.”

River sighs, letting her head fall back to rest against the side of the tub. “Of course he did.” She slides a hand to her rounded stomach. “He told you about this, too, I assume?”

Serra shakes her head. “No my lady. I’ve… known for some weeks now.”

“Hm.” River comments.

Serra steps cautiously closer. “He… also told me that I don’t need to fear you.”

River frowns. “He shouldn’t say such things.”

“He is a good man, your highness.”

River looks up at her sharply, and narrows her eyes. Serra’s own widen, and she quickly looks down at her feet again.

“Yes, he is,” River says. “He’s a good man and he always sees the good in people. And sometimes he believes there is more than there is.”

Serra is silent after River’s words, and after a moment, River sits up in her bath. “Come then,” she says softly. “Wash my hair for me.”

Serra complies, moving over to River to kneel on the ground behind her and dipping the jug into the hot water, she carefully pours it over River’s curls.

River sighs and leans her head back, letting her eyes fall closed and content for a moment to sit quietly while Serra works soap carefully into her wet curls.

“Serra?” She speaks after a few minutes.

“Yes, your highness?”

“Be careful. I don’t want you to be afraid here but… there is a line and just because it was crossed once before doesn’t mean it should be again.”

The girl hesitates. “Your highness?”

“I tell you this for your own good. You would do well to remember it - and remember that my husband is not on your side of that line.”

The slave girl’s fingers have paused in River’s hair, and she appears to remain frozen behind River for a few seconds until she clears her throat and mumbles a quiet, “Of course your highness,” before quickly resuming her work.

\--

The time passes agonisingly slowly while the Doctor is away, and River feels each minute tick by like an hour. She tries to keep herself busy so as not to have too much time to worry and fret about him out there. She half-amusedly wonders if this was how the Doctor felt all those years ago when she’d go off to fight and he stayed here without her - of course, he was just her slave then, why would he have fretted? But... she knows that isn’t true - it was almost never truly like that between them, even from the start because the gods knew she’d missed him achingly when she’d been away.

She is in the bath again two days later when the door to her chambers suddenly opens and a soft gasp from Serra causes her to turn her head…

“Hi honey, I’m home.”

“Doctor!” River gasps, sitting up in the tub. “I didn’t know you’d be back al - I didn’t even hear you arrive! Why didn’t somebody ride ahead!? Oh gods, I’m so glad to see you,” she laughs out, her voice a little choked with relief, as grinning, the Doctor makes his way into the room. He glances at Serra hovering nearby.

“Can you leave us for a while?” He murmurs quietly to her, and Serra ducks her head and makes to hurry from the room - but not before she pauses and mutters a quick:

“I am very glad to see you back safe, sir.”

The Doctor smiles his thanks as River narrows her eyes at the girl as she scrapers from the room, but then her husband is striding towards her and all she can care about is that he’s home safe.

He drops to his knees by her bathtub and takes her face in his hands and kisses her deeply, River winding her arms up round his neck and moaning into his mouth as she clings to him desperately.

He stands, pulling her up with him so he can gather her to him and hold her tightly and River breaks the kiss to beam at him, neither caring that her wet self is pressed against him and soaking him in the process.

“It went well then, I’m assuming by your good spirits,” she grins, and the Doctor nods.

“Did you ever doubt me?”

“Yes.”

“Oi!”

River laughs, planting another happy kiss on his lips.

“And you didn’t have any problems? You weren’t attacked or, or hurt or anything?” She checks anxiously as she runs her hands over him.

“No, I’m fine - never better.”

She kisses him again, with such enthusiasm that he nearly stumbles into the tub with her, and she smiles against his mouth but doesn’t break the kiss, sucking on his tongue as her hands fumble and yank at his clothing. He breaks from her mouth to gasp in air, hands moving to help as she gets the tie on his toga undone and yanks it over his head before her mouth latches onto his jaw and she moans as she scrapes her teeth over his skin, lifting a leg out of the water to wrap around him.

“I should wash,” he pants into her hair. “I’ve been riding three days and I’m -”

“Don’t care,” River mutters before kissing him again.

His hands roam greedily over her wet body as hers do the same to his, nails digging urgently into his skin as her tongue roams his mouth.

“Bed,” She utters breathlessly against his lips, “Take me to bed right now, husband.”

Grinning against her mouth and giving her another peck, the Doctor bends and lifts her out of the tub, setting her on her feet on the other side.

“Dropping you would be much too disastrous to risk right now,” he mutters, and River laughs, taking hold of his hand and tugging him with her through her chambers and into their bedroom.

\--

“So there I was with this torch in my hand and five armed soldiers behind me - and these guards who’d just burst in demanding to know what we were doing and threatening to ring the alarm bells -”

“How on earth did you get out of it!?”

“Well - I told them I was inspecting the fires - that the arms master had called me in because his forges hadn’t been heating up properly.”

“And they believed you? In the middle of the night?” River laughs from her place draped over her husband in their bed.

The Doctor looks smug. “With a bit of convincing, yeah. And then - well after I got them to leave we had to move quick because - I’d already sent Atticus and the others to release the horses see, so pretty soon they were going to realise I wasn’t really there to fix the forges so - well I’d thought that we could take as many weapons as we could - with the guards already on alert setting a fire would give us away too quick _but_ \- one of your clever bloody soldiers decided to set light to the whole thing already,” he explains, hands waving as he tells his story and River gasps.

“But they’d only just left! Didn’t they see the smoke straight away?”

“Yes - _and_ \- he only set it _right_ above the bloody tunnel we dug to get in, so there went our escape route -”

“No!” She gasps, “What did you do!?”

“Well, I knew the front gates would be open by now to let the horses out if all had gone to plan so - we ran to the stables where the other men were still in the middle of releasing them - grabbed some of the horses that were still left, and galloped out of the city on them just as the alarm started to go off!”

“Didn’t they go after you?”

“Well it was too late by the time they realised what had happened; we had all the horses,” he grins. “And the best part is they never even knew we had an entire army camped just half a mile away - for all they knew we were a group of bandits or thieves - they’ll never suspect Rome.”

“You think you’re so clever,” River laughs.

“So do you,” he flirts, tapping her on the nose.

“You have your moments, I suppose,” she says.

“Oi!” He retaliates by pinching her side beneath the sheets and she laughs, twisting away and swatting at him as he tickles her.

“Fine, fine,” she says breathlessly when he doesn’t relent. “You’re very clever sweetie.”

“Yeah, I am,” he grins, preening.

“Only you could _talk_ your way out of a war, honestly.”

“I like to think I’m very resourceful.”

“Hmm, you certainly are,” she says, dropping her voice as she presses a kiss to his chest.

The Doctor squirms as she begins kissing a trail down towards his stomach.

“None of that,” he says, “I still need to get up and wash.”

Reaching his hipbones, River gives a nip, looking up at him under her lashes before she moves away, rolling to flop onto her back.

“Fine,” she sighs, “Go wash. My bath water’s still out there but it’s probably cold by now.”

“It’s fine,” the Doctor says, getting out of bed. “I’ll only be quick.”

“Mm, you better be,” she purrs, arching her back enticingly against the pillows and her low giggle following the Doctor out of the room when he trips over his feet, distracted by her.

When he has washed however, he doesn’t get to return to his wife and his bed before there is a knock on their chamber door.

“I’ll get it,” the Doctor calls out, wrapping his towel round his waist, and when he swings it open he finds a messenger informing him that the council was gathered downstairs and waiting for them. He calls River out and she pads into the room wrapped in a sheet and looking less than pleased at the disturbance.

“What is it?” She demands.

“Everyone’s waiting for a report, your highness.”

She lets out a sigh, running a hand through her mussed curls. “Fine, we’ll be there soon.”

The boy nods and scampers out of the room and River gives the Doctor a longing look.

“The drawbacks to being empress of Rome, hm?” He comments.

“Yeah,” she grumbles, turning to traipse back into her bedchamber to dress.

\--

It is a couple of hours later, after they had filled her council in on the successes of the Doctor’s excursion when they finally managed to escape back to the peace of their chambers for the night. The meeting had gone well, River had sat beside her husband proudly as he accounted his story again, and smugly watched the faces of those who hadn’t approved of him going as they realised they had been proved very wrong. The Doctor had been commended on his victory, and even Darius whom River knew absolutely hated her husband, and didn’t seem to think too much of her either had offered a begrudging ‘well done’. She had been making plans to take care of that situation but perhaps it would settle itself down, now that the Doctor had been proven to be worthy of his place by her side.

“I was thinking…” the Doctor murmurs into the tranquility of their room, fingertips stroking absently over River’s hip. A single candle burns by their bed and they are naked beneath damp sheets, drying now against their warm skin after River had shown the Doctor how glad she was to have him home safe one more time.

“Hm?” She replies sleepily.

“There’s… other enemies of Rome’s nearby isn’t there?”

She frowns. “Hm?”

“I mean… Tiberius made a lot of enemies during his reign didn’t he? Well - so did you for that matter…”

“What’s your point sweetie?” River says.

He sighs. “The cities that are threats - the ones with their own armies… really… it wouldn’t be difficult to pull off the same operation…”

There is a pause before River leans up on an elbow to stare down at him. “You want to attack other cities?”

“No - not attack. I don’t want to attack anyone - and I don’t want anyone to attack us - that’s the point. I just want to… disable them. You know there’s been reports that Thrace has been building those flamethrowers you and I designed all those years ago - imagine if they decided to attack us with a load of them - or anyone, really.”

River is silent.

“Listen - I wouldn’t even need to take the entire army - I only actually went in with ten men. It’s not something that needs to be made a big deal of, it would be easy for me to just -”

“I sent the entire army with you because there was every possibility of it turning into a war if it went wrong, Doctor,” River interrupts him with a frown.

“Yes but it didn’t.”

“But it could have.”

“River,” he says, with a hint of frustration in his voice. “I can do this. Trust me.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t like you going out looking for trouble when there’s no need, sweetie.”

“There is a need,” he mumbles, quietly enough that he has to repeat himself.

“Doctor… the empire isn’t currently under threat of another attack, I really don’t -”

“I didn’t mean that,” he says.

“Then what?” River frowns.

The Doctor lets out a huff and pauses before he speaks again. “I feel useless here, River. And these past few days were the first time I didn’t.”

River stares down at him in the candlelight as he avoids her eyes.

“But… the city - you’ve been helping to rebuild the houses and - and take care of the poor…”

“Yes - I know, and - and that’s great, and I do like helping the people like that but… it seems so insignificant, you know? Like I’m not doing _enough_... I mean you’re here - running the empire, making all these huge changes, fixing all these things -”

“You help me do all that, Doctor,” she says, placing a hand on his arm.

“No, I know that but… you’re the empress, River… I kind of want to be more than just the man who happens to be married to you…”

River takes her bottom lip between her teeth, looking down at the sheet draped over them as she fiddles with it.

“It’s not easy being back here for you, is it?” She asks quietly after several moments thought.

When he doesn't reply straight away she glances up to find him watching her though steady dark eyes. He shrugs.

“I had no illusions that it would be.”

Feeling guilty for having neglected her husband’s feelings amidst everything going on and what it was like to be back on the throne - on having given little to no thought to what it must be like for him to be back in the place he was once held in slavery, River shuffles closer to him and rests her head on his shoulder.

“If that’s what you want to do… it’s your choice my love,” she says softly.

“Really?”

“Of course,” she murmurs, dropping a kiss to his skin. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow, we should sleep, you must be exhausted.”

“Yeah,” he yawns. “Now that you mention it I could use forty winks.”

She smiles softly, smoothing a hand over his side. “Sleep, sweetie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a bit of a shorter chapter than usual but since I got it out so quickly I'm sure you won't complain ;) also before anyone corrects me… I am aware the Romans didn’t bathe much. I think I read somewhere once they often went months between baths!? But… this is fiction and that’s disgusting so… yeah. River and the doctor are gonna wash like normal people hahaha
> 
> As always thank you for your support, I love to hear what you think! :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not very plot heavy this time - I’d apologise but I can’t imagine anyone’s going to complain… ;)

The council receive the Doctor’s idea to pull off the same mission on other cities surprisingly well. It is a good thing, River supposes, that he’s clearly gained their admiration for his success and support, but she’d be lying if she didn’t admit to herself that she’d been half hoping everyone would be against it - if he’d really had to _fight_ to take this on she’d hoped that maybe he’d have decided it wouldn’t be worth the struggles. Of course she is glad he’s found something that makes him happy but… she just worries. The three days she’d spent without him not knowing if he would come back to her had been agonising… but she can’t keep him shut up here and she has no intentions to try. They’ve had enough of him being prisoner within this city, and she’d never really _thought_ about the memories and feelings being back here must drag up in him. She doesn’t want him to feel for a moment like he doesn’t have his freedom again.

With the recent success of the Doctor’s trip and the city being steadily rebuilt with money too starting to come back in, people are in good spirits, and when a party arrive over from one of the other provinces under River’s rule, to express their appreciation for all she is doing, the decision is made that they should start celebrating the end of the dark times for Rome.

“Oh - and I need to get somebody to bring up the dress I had made for the party tonight - I haven’t even tried it on,” River says over breakfast one morning amidst rattling off a list of her things to do that day.  

“Party?” The Doctor asks. “What party?”

“I mentioned it to you last week,” says River.

“Did you?”

She sighs and rolls her eyes, “One day you’ll actually listen to something I tell you.”

“I listen,” he protests.

“Sure you do honey.”

“Can I come to the party?” Livia says, eyes bright as she bounces in her chair.

River looks over at her and shakes her head. “Sorry my love, this one’s… more of an adult thing - I’ll let you come to the next one we have okay?”

Livia looks disappointed but nods. “Okay.”

“Maybe your father will stay with you,” River suggests, glancing at the Doctor.  

“What?” He frowns. “Shouldn’t I be with you at the party?”

“Well - technically, yes but… I thought you might not want to come?” River says hesitantly.

“Of course I do,” he replies, then looks apologetically at his daughter. “Sorry Livia - I’ll take you out round the city tomorrow, how’s that?”

“Fine,” she sighs.

“Are you sure?” River eyes him suspiciously, and he nods, rolling his eyes.

“Of course I’m sure.” He grins and winks at her. “Love a good party.”

She brightens. “Well - okay. I need to get going,” She finishes her drink before standing from the table.

“Take it easy in training,” the Doctor cautions.

“Yes dear,” she waves a hand. “If you have time today do you think you could be a love and...”

“Your dress?”

She nods. “Would you?”

“Yeah, I’ll make sure it gets here.”

“Thank you,” she smiles, leaning down for a quick kiss before moving over and planting one on top of her daughter’s head. “Have a good day sweetie,” she says as she wanders off.

Later that evening when they are getting ready to leave together, River stands up on her toes to comb her fingers through the Doctor’s hair, tidying and smoothing it back from his face, his hands settling at her waist as he stands patiently before her. She looks beautiful tonight; of course, he always thinks River looks beautiful but he’d almost forgotten what she looked like dressed up in full royal Roman finery, and tonight she had gone to every effort. A dress of deep purple falls in pleats of liquid silk from gold fastenings at the shoulders, the back and front dropping low and the skirt dancing round her ankles, with a split up one side that exposes her leg all the way to the top of her thigh when she moves. Gold and jewels drip from her hands and sit round her neck and a crown of golden leaves is woven into her curls which fall down her back in tight ringlets.

She’d tried to persuade him into a slightly more modest crown of gold leaves like hers too, but he’d refused - she’d got him into much more extravagant clothing than he usually wore though, the long white toga draped with a purple sash of silk that was a perfect match to her dress over one shoulder, tucking into the gold cord around his waist and falling to the floor.

Satisfied with her work, River lowers herself back down to gaze at him, and he gives her a half smile and a quick twirl. “How do I look?”

She beams at him. “Amazing.”

Preening a bit for show, he smirks back at her, letting his eyes roam over her. “Not too bad yourself.”

River gives him a wink, and then pauses and tilts her head, eyes searching his. “Are you really sure you want to come? Because you know you don’t _have to._..”

“Yes,” he sighs, rolling his eyes. “Livia will be fine, I’ll take her out tomorrow.”

“I know _that,_ but…”

“Come on then, we’ll be late if we don’t get going,” he says, tapping her on the nose as he rolls back on his heels, and River peers a him a moment before she shrugs, a smile on her lips as she takes his arm and allows him to lead her from their chambers.

A couple of hours later however, it becomes apparent to the Doctor that worrying about leaving Livia behind had _not_ in fact, been the reason she’d been uncertain whether the Doctor really wanted to attend.

He sits where she’d left him a little while ago to circulate, perched very uncomfortably on a chaise-long somewhere towards the front of the great hall, with a glass of wine and a suggestion to ‘stay here and relax and I’ll be back in a little bit.’

Relax. Yes, because _that_ would be easy now that most of the guests had begun to shed their clothes and - it seemed, their dignity. He had wondered at the Lavishly decorated hall being adorned with cushions and seats and small comfortable areas draped with see-through curtains when they’d first arrived - he’d expected a dinner, and then maybe some dancing or entertainers and he thought the choice of decorations may get in the way a little…

Of course, it was now plainly obvious why the hall had been set up that way, and he feels a little naive for not realising it until it was in the middle of happening. And what else was obvious was that River assumed he’d _known_ ; she’d been flirting with intent all night, and if the heated glances she keeps shooting his way from across the hall now are anything to go by, the intent hadn’t been to wait until they got back to their chambers alone tonight.

Standing from where she’d been reclined with a group of people over the far side of the hall, she appears to make her excuses as the conversation seems to fade out and, like most of the other groups in the hall things begin to get decidedly more heated. He sees making her way back towards him, her eyes dark and intent on him, no mistaking the glint that shone in them as she moved towards him like a lioness honing in on its pray: he takes a deep breath, and braces himself.

“Hello sweetie,” she purrs when she is close enough. “Enjoying the party?”

“Actually -”

“You looked a little lonely over here,” she coos, leaning in to trace a finger down his cheek and round under his chin. “I thought it was about time I came to keep you company…” Leaning in River places a knee on the seat beside his thigh, climbing gracefully up to settle with the other knee on the other side and tilting his chin towards her, she leans in for the kill.

“River -” hands on her arms, he pushes her back and she sits up on his lap with a frown.

“What’s wrong?”

His eyes dart around them uneasily and he shifts awkwardly beneath her. “I don’t want to do that here,” he mutters, and River’s eyebrows shoot upwards.

“What? Then why did you come?”

“ _Because,_ ” He grinds out, “You didn’t tell me it was _that_ sort of party!”

“But… I thought you knew, Doctor - what did you _think_ I meant when I said it was an adult party? This is _Rome_ after all…”

“I know that, but… I don’t know - I thought there might just be lots of wine or something…”

Letting out a sigh, River’s shoulders slump  and she places both hands on his face. “You are utterly _clueless_ sometimes, sweetie.”

He peers back at her from beneath his fringe. “Sorry,” he offers.

She pouts, before letting her hands drop to his shoulders and leaning in so her torso is pressed against him, mouth right by his ear. “I’d been so looking forward to showing everybody how much I love my husband,” she breathes in a low, seductive voice, and the Doctor emits a sort of squeak, hands flying to her hips where he tries to hold her at bay.

“Now River,” he warns.

“Hmm?” She murmurs as she laps her tongue round the outside of his ear and takes the lobe between her teeth.

“River…” His breath catches in his throat when she shifts forward on his lap, hips pressing down against his.

“I just want a kiss, sweetie,” she breathes, tongue laving that spot just between the underside of his jaw and beneath his ear that she knows drives him crazy. “You can manage that for me, can’t you?”

She has nipped her way to his mouth and pulls back just enough so that he can feel the air from between her parted lips ghost across his own, and as he eyes her mouth, he finds himself mutely nodding, and then her lips are against his and he can think of little else.

As his lips part and her tongue sweeps between them to stroke along his own, he finds his hands sliding from her hips to the small of her back, and she arches appreciatively at the touch, pressing herself closer to him and moaning softly into his mouth. Her small hands slide up to rake her fingers through his hair as she parts just briefly for air, going only far enough to pant open-mouthed against his, and she flicks her tongue over his parted lips enticingly, drawing him in until he can do nothing but kiss her again.

Groaning into her mouth, he finds his hands roaming her form, squeezing her backside and hauling her closer, dragging her over his fast growing erection before he even realises he’s moved them. Her touch is dizzying; he loses himself in the feel of her mouth and body against his own, and when she coaxes his tongue into her mouth and sucks on it he knows if he’d been standing, his knees would have given out.

Her hands move from his hair to drag down over his back, her nails scratching even through his toga, just sharp enough to make him kiss her a little harder, his body pressed tight against her own as she curls a leg around his waist, his weight braced either side of her on his arms -

Pulling his head back as he gasps in mouthfuls of air, the Doctor blinks down at River sprawled out beneath him against plush pillows and wonders when they’d twisted over to end up horizontal on the chaise-long he’d been sitting atop.

“Gods River,” he pants out, lust-clouded eyes roaming over her face, settling on her full, enticing lips… “I want you so much - what’s happening? I can’t even think straight…”

“There’s aphrodisiacs in the wine,” she explains, voice equally thick with want as she rocks her hips up against him.  

The Doctors eyes snap back to hers and widen. “What!? Why?”

“It’s an orgy, Doctor,” River snorts, arching her back with a little moan so her chest brushes enticingly up against his.

“But - you haven’t had any wine…”  
River smirks and quirks an eyebrow. “Who says I need it?”

He groans and drops his head to her shoulder, which proves to be a mistake because here he inhales the rich, perfumed scent of her when he breathes in, and _feels_ her hum as she grinds gently against him again and his arousal climbs to dangerous heights.

“River,” he utters hoarsely, “We need to get back to our chambers _right now_ or I’ll take you right here…”

“Mmm yes, do that.”

_“No!_ ” He growls, pinching her side as she gives a wicked giggle, and strokes her tongue over his collarbone. He groans. “Now, River…”

“But it’s so _far_ …” she bemoans, her voice low and breathless and seductive by his ear as she trails her fingertips in a maddening pattern across his lower back. “Come on sweetie, look around you… live the moment, just fuck me… right here…”  
One of her hands is inching round between their bodies, working its way beneath his clothes and he does look around, lifting his head long enough to glance around them with darkened eyes and blurred vision and -

And that turns out to be River’s mistake, because like a bucket of cold water over him suddenly the situation is very real and he sobers instantly. These are not his people, this is not somewhere he would ever choose to be and he doesn’t want to make love to his wife amongst a sea of naked, writhing bodies of people drunk on lust and sex.

Pulling himself away from her, he stumbles to his feet, tugging his toga straight and running a trembling hand through his hair as he stares dazedly down at River sprawled across the cushions.  

“Doctor?”

He shakes his head, backing away.

“I can’t River,” He says, and turns and strides as quickly as he can out of the room - under ordinary circumstances he would be embarrassed about his obvious state of arousal but considering the fact he has to meander through people completely naked in the middle of intercourse he’s pretty certain nobody will look twice at him.

Biting her lip as she watches the Doctor rush from the hall, River shifts on the seat, rearranging her dress and clearing her throat as she glances about, hoping nobody had noticed their empress just getting abandoned in the middle of a party by her husband.

“Might we join you, your highness?”

She looks up at the man and two women who have approached, all mostly naked, one already kneeling on the floor by her feet. It would be so easy to say yes… the Doctor had left her so wound up, her body still humming and a burning ache between her legs that was screaming for attention and it would be _so easy_ to just lay back here and let them take care of it… let herself be worshipped like the empress she is...

Blinking abruptly and shaking her head in horror at the images spilling so easily across her mind, River sits up, and shakes her head at them apologetically, hand going to her stomach. “I’m tired,” she says.

They bow and leave her and River curses under her breath, wishing with every fibre of her being that she could have a drink.

Of _course_ the Doctor hadn’t realised what kind of party he was attending - and she’d been stupid to think otherwise… it had seemed too good to be true - she’d certainly been surprised when he said he would come - surprised but too elated about it to _think_ properly.

She manages to slip away without drawing any attention to herself, and makes her way quickly through the palace hallways and up the stairs until she reaches her chambers, easing the door open and slipping inside. The Doctor stands in the centre of the room, as though he had been in the middle of pacing before she’d entered, and River closes the door behind her, locking eyes with him.

“I’m sorry,” she sighs.

But the Doctor shakes his head, and crosses the floor of their chambers in three strides to take her face in his hands and kiss her furiously. River throws her arms up round his neck and moans, and the Doctor reaches down and picks her up with arms looped beneath her thighs, and turns and staggers the few feet to the table, where he deposits her, sweeping aside papers writing things with one arm to lay her back. Breaking the kiss to stand between her legs, he goes for the hem of her dress and River reaches down to help him scramble to get it up out of the way, taking advantage of the split in the side, her chest heaving as she pants for breath, trembling fingers moving frantically to his toga. With a little struggling he whips the whole lot over his head, and with her dress pushed up round her waist, he pulls her thighs up against his hips, stepping in to slide himself over her slick sex.

“River -” He pants out.

“Now,” she demands, and without further delay he pushes inside her unceremoniously, sliding easily into her hot wet core, and doesn’t pause before he begins to move inside her at a hurried pace.

River claws at his hips and backside, pulling him deeper inside her, until he hitches her legs up higher on his hips and leans down into his thrusts and suddenly he is hitting her so perfectly inside that she throws back her head and screams, seeing stars.

“Fuck - already?” He pants out, and dazed beneath him, River nods frantically.

“Wanted you so much,” she gasps, “Still want you - want more…”

The Doctors fingers slip over her clit, pressing and rubbing frantically and out of rhythm with his thrusts and all River can feel is burning white hot pleasure building again at an alarming rate. It centers and pools between her legs, making her thighs tremble and her stomach muscles clench, hands scrabbling uselessly for purchase against the table as she feels herself about to peak -   
He withdraws and she cries out in anguish, snapping her eyes open and ready to kill him, but then he is tugging her off the table and pulling her dress over her head - she hears ripping fabric but she doesn’t care because he’s turning her in his arms and pushing her down, hands planting hers firmly on the tabletop as he leans down over her back, hands moving to her breasts, cupping and squeezing and pinching her nipples as she whimpers and gasps - he hesitates.

“Is this okay? - The baby -” he stammers out through gasped breathes, and River nods frantically.

“I’m fine, _please_ …”

It’s enough for him, and he slides back inside her, hands going to her hips to steady her as he thrusts deep and hard inside her and River pushes back against him, encouraging him with sharp cries and frantic movements of her hips. When she builds quickly back up to her orgasm he is right there with her, and this time he doesn’t stop, fucking her over the edge and letting out a cry that might be her name as he comes inside her while River drops to her elbows and screams her release as her whole body shudders with the force of it.

When he finally pulls out of her he stumbles backwards, and River is there quickly, turning on her own shaky legs to take his arm and steady him.

“Come on,” she murmurs as she pants for air. “Bed.”

He nods and lets her guide him through their chambers, tumbling onto the bed when she deposits him there and watching as she moves around the huge bed to light a candle. Feeling his eyes on her, she takes her time, all too aware how her her naked sweat-slicked skin glistens in the low orangey light, her chest still heaving, nipples still hard -

“Doctor!” She yelps in alarm when he grabs her arm and yanks her down onto the bed. She lands amongst the soft pillows with a light bounce and then he is moving over her, kissing down her neck and chest and pushing her legs apart.

“Gods sweetie,” she gasps, “You’re going to need to give me a minute before we- _oh!”_

“What was that dear?” He mumbles against her sex, darkened eyes laughing up at her from beneath his fringe as he flicks his tongue teasingly over her sensitive clit.

“Nothing,” she gasps, shaking her head and laying back against the pillows. “Nothing at all…”

\--


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry... sorry sorry this took so long... uni's killing me... I'll really try to update more frequently please dont leave mee hahaha

 

“Ah,” Says River from the table the next morning when the Doctor wanders into the main room, sleep-tousled and yawning. “Good morning sleepy-head.”

He grunts and eyes her blearily. “You’re already dressed,” he comments as he plops down at the table opposite her and helps himself to the breakfast foods set out.

“I’ve been up for hours,” she says, and motions to a pile of parchments next to her. “Got through all of these.”

He makes a face and she smirks, tilting her head at him.

“Good sleep?” She smirks.

“Shut up,” he grumbles, tucking into a piece of bread.

“Good to know I can still wear you out,” she winks at him and he frowns and waggles a finger at her.

“I think you’ll find it was me doing the wearing out last night,” he protests indignantly and River snorts.

“Sweetie you eventually passed out on top of me. _And_ drooled in my hair.”

The Doctor looks alarmed. “I didn’t!” He exclaims. “... Did I?”

“Afraid so. And moving you off wasn’t an easy task - you might be all limbs but you’re bloody heavy when you’re a dead weight.”

The tips of his ears turning pink, the Doctor splutters over his breakfast. “Well - I’m - I hardly think I can be blamed when you _drugged me!_ ”

“I didn’t drug you,” she rolls her eyes. “I thought you _knew_ what kind of party you were at honey.”

“Well I didn’t,” he mumbles, a bit embarrassed.

“Hmm you made that perfectly clear.”

He looks up and catches her eyes and she raises an eyebrow at him.

“Sorry,” he says, shifting a little in his seat.

“For abandoning me in the middle of a party? I hope so.”

“I just -” he shoves a hand through his hair, “- panicked.”

She stares him down for another moment before her face relaxes, and she reaches across the table to trace her fingertips over the back of his knuckles in an affectionate caress.

“It’s alright. It was my fault - I should have realised. I know you well enough by now honey.”

The Doctor turns his hand over take hold of hers and squeeze it gently.

“And you love me anyway,” he says with a soft smile and River sighs.

“Unfortunately.”

“Oi!”

Her laughter is interrupted by the door to their chambers opening and their daughter entering, and River pulls her hand from her husband’s, turning to open them to Livia with a smile.

“What’s this?” She says when their daughter climbs up to sit at the table, setting down several pieces of parchment.

“I’ve been practising my writing,” she says proudly. “I found a book - look.”

River rifles through the pages of neat lettering with a smile. “Goodness this is beautiful Livia!” She glances up at the Doctor. “It’s neater than yours sweetie.”

He narrows his eyes at her but the glare is playful and he laughs when Livia beams and sticks her tongue out at her father.

“Have you eaten honey?” River asks her and Livia nods.

“I’m thirsty though,” the little girl says and River glances round, snapping her fingers at Serra who hurries from the corner to obey.

“It’s fine,” the Doctor reaches over to pick up the jug in the middle of the table. “I’ve got it. It’s only right here,” he looks at River pointedly as he fills an empty cup, but she doesn't seem to notice, chatting softly to her daughter as Serra retreats back into the corner.

“There’s a tournament this morning,” River says conversationally a short while later, and the Doctor glances up at her quickly.

“Is there?” He frowns.

“I suppose you don’t want to come…”

“No thank you. I… didn’t realise they were still holding those things to be honest…”

River shrugs casually. “They haven’t for a while - what with everything going on. Things are settling down now though and everyone's anxious for things to get back to normal.”

“Yes, nothing says Rome’s itself like a bloodthirsty tournament does it?” He mutters over his food and River rolls her eyes.

“I know how you feel about them, but it’s just sport here Doctor. It’s fine, you don’t have to come.”

“What’s a tournament?” Livia speaks up and they both pause and glance at her.

“They’re fights Livia,” River answers. “In an arena, where people can watch for entertainment.” She ignores the Doctor’s scoff as Livia glance between them. “What kind of fights?”

“All kinds,” shrugs River. “Gladiators against… centurions, charioteers - animals. Many different things.”  
Livia thinks for a moment. “Can I come?”

“No!” The Doctor exclaims as River opens her mouth and begins with;

“If you want -”

They stop and look at each other.

“She wants to come, Doctor,” River frowns.

“There is no way you’re taking her - the arena is no place for a child!”

“Many children attend the tournaments.”

“That doesn’t mean they _should_ ,” he growls out.

“Doctor!” River hisses, glancing at Livia who is blinking up at them. “You can’t keep her sheltered from everything, she _wants_ to come.”

“Yes,” Livia nods, “I want to watch the fights - I’ve never seen a real fight before.”

“Livia…” The Doctor begins, turning in his seat to face her. “These aren’t pretend fights…”

She shrugs. “Okay.”

“And… they’re fights to the death.”

Letting out a huff, River gets up from the table, wandering over to get her cloak on.

Livia’s eyes widen. “People die?”

“I’m afraid so sweetheart - and it’s not pleasant. It’s bloody, and violent, and brutal.”

“It’s Rome,” River says, moving back over towards the table. “And it’s the entertainment here. Now are you coming?” She holds out a hand towards her daughter and Livia hesitates, looking between her mother and father for a moment, a frown on her small face before she shakes her head, and looks down at her hands in her lap. “I don’t think I’d like to see people die,” She says quietly.

Withdrawing her hand, River glances at the Doctor who is looking at her pointedly, and she scowls at him before turning on her heel and stalking from the room.

“Is she mad?” Livia asks her father worriedly when the door has slammed after River.

Clearing his throat, the Doctor picks up his piece of bread. “Of course not,” he smiles at his daughter. “Don’t worry about your mother - you and I will find something fun to do today okay?”

After a pause, Livia smiles and nods. “Okay,” she says, going back to her breakfast.

\--

When River gets back that afternoon, the Doctor tells her their daughter has been quiet all day, and worried that she upset her, River goes to Livia’s chambers.

“Can you leave us please,” she says to the woman who stays there with her, and she bows her head and leaves River and her daughter alone.

River smiles at Livia and moves over to sit down, patting the seat next to her and beckoning her over. Appearing to hesitate a little, Livia puts down her quill and hops down from her place at the table, crossing the marble floor to sit next to her mother.

“How was your day my love?” River asks as she reaches out to fiddle with Livia’s hair, stroking her hand over her daughter’s head affectionately.

Livia shrugs. “It was fine.”

“Listen honey… I’m sorry if you thought I was cross with you earlier - I was just a bit annoyed at your father. I don’t mind that you didn’t want to come with me.”

“Okay,” says the little girl.   
“Are you sure?”

She nods.

Still not certain she’s set everything right, River shuffles closer and wraps her arms around Livia, hugging her to her and stroking a hand over her hair. Her daughter hugs her back, and they sit there for a moment as River rubs her daughter’s back absently, and then Livia breaks the silence with her small voice.

“Mama?” She asks quietly.

“Hm?”

Livia hesitates. “Have you ever killed someone?”

River feels her stomach unexpectedly drop a little at her daughter’s question, and the quiet, fearful voice she’d asked it in. She swallows, and extricates herself from around Livia to sit back and watch her face carefully. “I’ve fought in a lot of battles Livia.”

“And you killed people?”

Running her fingers through her daughters hair, she nods. “That’s what war is, sweetie. It’s always for a purpose though. You fight to protect your people.”

Livia is quiet a moment before she says; “Daddy says war is always pointless.”  
“Well, he would say that,” River sighs. “Your father and I were brought up very differently. He believes goodness and peace will always win out… but I know that sometimes you have to fight to get that. You should only ever be fighting when it’s for peace… that’s something it took me a long time to learn.”

Livia frowns in confusion. “Then why do people fight in the tournaments?”

“I -” River opens her mouth to answer but cannot think of one. “It - it’s… for entertainment, sweetheart,” River admits softly, struggling to explain to her wide eyed little girl. “It’s… been done here for centuries. It’s just - it’s just how things are…”

“But you’re the empress mama… can’t you stop them?”

“Stop the tournaments?”  
Livia nods.

“Well…” she shifts awkwardly in her seat. “I don’t think the people would be very happy about that…”

Livia blinks up at her with wide eyes and concern on her young face and River’s heart softens. She reaches out to stroke a hand through her daughters hair.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it sweetheart - I know! How about we go down to the palace stables this afternoon? We could see about getting you that horse I promised…”

River’s attempt at distraction from the topic works perfectly - within an hour Livia has forgotten all about the tournaments, bouncing excitedly around the royal stables with River trailing along behind her with a fond smile.

It is here the Doctor finds them a little later, River speaking to a man there while Livia stretches up on her tiptoes to stroke the nose of a huge gleaming chestnut animal tethered with three others outside the stalls.

“Daddy!” She waves excitedly when she sees him and skips over, grabbing his hand. “Look at my new horses!”

Letting her tow her over to the four matching horses, he chuckles. “Don’t be silly sweetheart they’re not all yours.”

“Yes they are. Mummy said.”

“Livia, your mother and I said you could have one,” he laughs as he hoists her up to sit on his hip so she can better reach to pet the horse’s neck. “And aren’t these a little large for you?” He teases.

“No,” she shakes her head stubbornly. “They’re perfect. And they’re all mine. This one’s called Jupiter. I think he’s my favourite but don’t tell the others,” she whispers in the Doctor’s ear.

“Mhmm,” he hums, eyeing his wife as she makes her way over.

“River dear, I think you need to clear something up,” He says with a chuckle. “Our daughter is under the impression that all four of these horses are hers.”

“Yes, they are.”

The Doctor balks, setting Livia on her feet. “What!?”

“Well - we were going to pick out one for her for riding - but then she saw the chariots and she liked those much better. I’m having one built especially for her. Don’t worry,” she rolls her eyes, placing a hand on his arm, “They’re highly trained animals and it’s not like she’ll be going out in it on her own.”

“That’s hardly the point!” He splutters, and glancing down at Livia watching them with wide eyes, he grabs Rivers arm and tugs her aside until they are out of earshot. “Well - it is a point - and a very good point but - the _point_ point is you can’t give our six year old daughter _four horses and a chariot!"_

“Why not?” She frowns.

He folds his arms. “Would you like a list?”

“Yes.”

“She’s _six,_ River! You can’t go spoiling her like this - what about when we leave? And - and not to mention the fact that the city’s in poverty and - you’re spending money on lavish gifts for your daughter - what about when people see her riding around in that thing?”

“Then they’ll know who she is, won’t they?” She scowls before turning on her heel and marching away from him.

“River!”

“Come on Livia,” She says, ignoring the Doctor calling after her. “Let’s say goodbye to your horses and leave these men to their work okay?”

Livia nods, petting each horse in turn. “When can I have my chariot?”

“When it’s built,” River chuckles.

“Livia,” the Doctor says, “I don’t think -”

_“Doctor,”_ River flashes him a warning glare that makes him snap his mouth shut. She still has that hold over him - she can silence him with nothing but a look with enough threat in her eyes and he hates it a bit - it's not that he’s _afraid_ of her now, not after all these years - but he also knows her well enough to know by that look there will be no reasoning with her on this - and he can’t argue with her in front of their daughter. He seethes all the way back up to their chambers, and is ready to tell her exactly what he thinks when Livia is back in her room and the door closes behind them - but that all flies away when River whirls to pin him to the door and kisses him hard.

Quite surprised, having been prepared for an argument and not for kissing, it takes the Doctor a few moments to do anything about the turn of events, by which time River is already pulling away and murmuring a soft, “I love you,” into his neck as she kisses him there.

“No - wait,” he says, trying to push her back, “I’m very cross with you.”

“Are you?” She purrs, voice dripping with mischief.

“No - no not that kind of cross,” he manages to push her back enough to waggle a finger at her, “Real cross. You can’t let Livia have her own chariot, she’s only six and you -”

“Doc- _tor_ ,” she draws the word out, winding her arms up round his neck as she pouts at him. “She was so happy…”

He shakes his head. “It’s not good for her River. Not to mention the other -”

“Look,” River huffs. “She was upset about this morning okay? And I felt bad…” She looks down away from his eyes. “You were right, it would have been a mistake to bring her to the tournament and I shouldn’t have thought otherwise. It’s… easy to get sucked back into sometimes.”

“What is?”

She looks up to find his eyes and shrugs. “This. Rome. How it was before… how _I_ was before…”

The Doctor’s face softens and he lets his arms wind around River. “You’re different now,” he says and she nods.

“I just wanted to cheer her up, Doctor,” she says quietly, and he sighs.

“Hell of a way to cheer up a six year old,” he grumbles, but as she leans up on her tiptoes to kiss him again, he knows she has won.

\--

For the past couple of weeks, after being unsuccessful in stopping a more and more pregnant River from training her army, the Doctor had been insisting on accompanying her to her training sessions to watch and keep an eye on her. River had only allowed him to under the condition that he promised he would not interfere. The last thing she’d said she needed was for her to appear weak in front of the army who’s respect for her was still fresh by her husband telling her what she can and cannot do. It was difficult for him sometimes to bite his tongue when he watched her push herself out there, but he used the opportunities when she came over for water to murmur to her quietly to take it easy, and although she rolled her eyes at him every time, she at least did seem to listen.

It was strange, standing by the side of her training court watching her with her army; he’d stood in this exact position many times all those years ago - now she was his wife and carrying his baby- but he’d felt no less worried watching her when she was just his mistress and he could never get her to wear her helmet - and he supposes that shows how much sooner he’d really fallen in love with her than he’d even himself realised.

She parries with a young burly man out in front of him, giving simple instructions on footwork as they move. The man looks determined but his poor skills are put to shame next to River, who seems to block his every move effortlessly, calling out instructions and addressing the rest of the army as she goes, while the red-face soldier seems to need to pour every ounce of his concentration into what he is doing just to keep her at bay.

The Doctor smiles a little as he watches her - even obviously pregnant now she is graceful and magnificent and he knows she is in her element when she’s fighting; she looks most alive with a sword in her hand and he probably shouldn’t like that as much as he does.  

It is in the midst of these thoughts that it suddenly happens.

It is all so fast - the man fighting her is mid swing when River suddenly cries out, dropping her sword as her hand flies to her stomach and she doubles over - the soldier’s sword catches River across the shoulder and as she drops to her knees with another cry the Doctor is sprinting towards them and all he can see is River on the ground - and blood - and her sword laying in the dirt next to her and he doesn’t think, his head is just a whirl of panic and fury and blood rushing in his ears and he picks up the sword and swings for the soldier.

The man yells as the Doctor’s sword catches his side, and then he is angry, and he is swinging back for him, with one hand pressed to the gash in his side and fury on his face. He’s easily twice the Doctor’s size, and their swords clash as the Doctor blocks his moves and parries back, and he can vaguely hear River’s voice screaming at him through the haze of panic in his head - but it’s clearing now, and he’s realising that he’s clearly at a dangerous disadvantage as he struggles to continue blocking the soldiers moves, stumbling backwards - he trips over and falls in the dirt and what had he been thinking!? It wasn’t even the soldiers fault and his wife is on the ground meters away and she _needs him_ and now -

“Enough! That’s enough!”

At the sound of the yell and clanging metal, the Doctor uncovers his head and blinks up to see another soldier disarm the first one and knock him to the ground. He lays in the dirt, coughing and winded, and the first man throws his sword down and moves over to the Doctor, offering him a hand.

He blinks up at it a moment, before his brain kicks into gear and he scrambles to his feet and tears to River’s side, dropping to his knees beside her.

“You stupid idiot!” River shouts at him, tears in her eyes. “What were you thinking!?”

“I’m sorry -

She shoves him away from her angrily as he tries to wrap his arms round her. “You could have been killed! I want that man executed!”

“No!” The Doctor exclaims, “No, it wasn’t his fault, I  -”

“I don’t ca -” River’s words cut off as she lets out another cry of pain, a hand pressed to her abdomen as she clutches at the Doctor with the other. Blood is dripping down her arm from the gash in her shoulder but she doesn’t even seem to notice.

“River! Is it the baby? What’s wrong?” He says urgently.

“I don’t know,” she pants, “It hurts -” She grits her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut and groaning in pain again and the Doctor looks around in wide eyed panic.

“We need help!” He says, scrambling to his feet and trying to pull River up as gently as he can. “I need to get her to her chambers, I -”

“We’ll take her,” the Doctor turns at the hand on his shoulder to see the man who’d saved him. “You need to calm down, you’re no good to her like this.”

The Doctor stares at him with wide eyes for a moment before he nods, stepping back and allowing him and three others to carefully pick their empress up - four men have already approached with a stretcher and they lift her carefully on to it.

The Doctor makes to hurry with them as they move off towards the palace but he pauses, turning back to the man beside him. “What’s your name?” He asks.

“Atilius.”

“Thank you Atilius,” he says, and the man nods. The Doctor glances at the soldier he’d fought still lying on the ground.

“It wasn’t his fault,” he says worriedly and Atilius nods.

“Don’t worry about him - go take care of the empress.”

The Doctor nods and sprints after the men with the stretcher, catching up to fall into pace with him, taking River’s hand and holding on tightly as they carry her back to the palace. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure you all really REALLY hate me now after leaving you a month and giving you this crappy chapter with that ending lol but please stick aroundd, I have so much planned for this fic and I am going to try and write more often :)


	10. Chapter 10

“Septimus.”

“ _Seven_? Seven what?”

“Rufus?”

River wrinkles her nose. “Sounds like a name for a pet.”

“Ricardus - that’s a brilliant name!”

“I knew a Ricardus many years ago,” River says thoughtfully. “He was a fool of a man but he was very handsome. Not bad in bed either. And he had a _huge -”_

_“Not_ Ricardus,” The Doctor cuts her off, scowling as she chuckles.

“I was going to say chariot,” River turns her head to bat her eyelashes at him.

“Of course you were,” he growls, pinching her hip lightly beneath the covers.

She winks and settles back in his arms, his lean warm body aligned with the length of hers, pressed up against her back.

“Why does it have to have a Roman name, anyway?” River comments.

The Doctor shrugs, shifting behind her. “Well… we are Roman, dear.”

“I’m only half,” River says. “And you spent most of your life in Britain. How about a name from there?”

“Like what?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. We still have over a month to figure it out.”

“I suppose. What do you think it will be?” The Doctor murmurs thoughtfully.

“Hmm I’m not sure. Hopefully a boy.”

“You want a boy?”

River hums in confirmation.

He strokes a hand over her huge belly. “Why’s that? You didn’t care with Livia.”

There is a pause before River answers. “I just… do.”

“It would be nice for Livia to have a sister to play with though, hm?”

River makes a noncommittal sound and they fall into silence.   
Since the scare a couple of months ago when both had feared they would lose the child, River had been taking it easy - she’d stopped fighting completely from that day (which the Doctor was overjoyed about) - she still trained her army of course, she just stayed at the sidelines and barked orders rather than taking part herself. Atilius, the man who had stepped in to save the Doctor that day, had quickly been made a general - he was already a strong fighter and River knew loyalty like that was valuable - especially when it was displayed towards her husband, whom many in Rome still saw as undeserving of their respect. He helped River with training her army - along with a couple of others she’d deemed not completely useless.

While River had taken a step back from the practical side of her leadership, the Doctor had thrown himself into it. He’d lead two more missions in which he’d infiltrated enemy towns nearby and rendered them harmless; one by scoping out their secret underground passes beneath their city walls and taking a band of men in one night and stealing all their weapons, the other by hurling a flaming fireball over their walls calculated perfectly to hit their armoury. He and all the men he’d used to carry out the mission both times had escaped undetected, and he was feeling very pleased with himself - and in River’s opinion (and worry) - a little cocky.

“Don’t go next week,” she whispers into the quiet of their bedroom.

“Hm?” He mumbles, sounding like he’d just been drifting off.

River rolls onto her back to face him. “I don’t want you to go.”

He lets out a soft chuckle, rubbing a hand soothingly over the swell of her belly. “I’ll be fine dear. You know me.”

“Yes, I do know you, and you take risks when you feel brave.”

“I won’t be taking any _risks -”_

“The whole thing is a risk,” River argues with a frown. “This isn’t some tiny town like the others - and they were risk enough. The city’s going to be well defended and if you get caught -”

“Relax, River - we won’t get caught.”

She lets out a huff. “Why do you have to go _now?”_

“Why not now? We’ve been planning this for months -”

_“You’ve_ been planning it.” She bites her lip as she looks up at him anxiously in the dark, her hand smoothing over her belly. “I need you here.”

He covers her hand with his own. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“It’s a week’s ride each way. There could be delays… and babies don’t always come on time you know…”

“Is that what you’re worried about?” He chuckles. “I promise I’ll be back in time dear.”

“You can’t promise me that though - things happen. And I’m worried about that but I’m also worried about you like I always am when you go gallivanting off. And I know you’ve been successful so far but I don’t want you to get reckless.”

He rolls his eyes. “You sound like me.”

“What?”

“I seem to remember saying the same thing to you many times - and I still never could get you to wear your damn helmet.”

She snorts a bit at that and he reaches up to tap her on the nose with a smile. She bats his hand away and rearranges her face to a stern expression again.

“This is serious sweetie,” she says and places a hand on his face, eyes searching his. “I don’t want you to go.”

The Doctor takes her hand in his and brings it to his lips, placing a kiss on the back of her knuckles. “I promise I’ll be fine.”

River snatches her hand back and turns from him with a scowl. She wouldn’t beg him; as desperate as she was for him to stay it wasn’t in her nature. Of course she could order him… but she wouldn’t do that either. It was his choice. But that didn’t mean she had to be happy about it.

The Doctor sighs and settles down behind her.

\--

River hadn’t spoken much before she’d left that morning and the Doctor knew she was sulking over his impending trip. But he’d put too much planning and work into it to call it off now; she’d get over it - it was still largely her default to throw a fit when she didn’t get her own way, and he’d learnt to deal with it over the years by not giving in - she always came around eventually - and this time she’d be pleased and proud of him when he returned with success.

Now somewhere around lunchtime, the Doctor glances up from the papers he has strewn out in front of him at the table as the empress enters, back from her council meeting, and shoves the door shut behind her with a foot.

“Long morning dear?” He comments as she throws off her cloak and kicks her shoes away. He can tell by her posture she is even worse of a mood than when she’d left.

“Horrible. Come and rub my back, it _aches,”_ She complains as she makes her way through her chambers. “And find someone to bring me some food I’m starving.”

The Doctor glances up from his papers. “I’m busy, River.”

She turns to him at the doorway to her bedchamber and plants her hands on her hips. “So am I,” She snaps. “Busy running this entire empire - and carrying your baby in case you’d forgotten!”

“That doesn’t count towards you being busy, it’s not like you have to do anything,” he says absently as he scratches away with his quill. When River does not reply after a few moments he glances up again, and immediately realises he’d said the wrong thing by the look on his wife’s face.

“What?”

She scowls at him. “I _hate_ you,” she hisses before spinning on her heel and marching towards her chambers, snapping her fingers at Serra in the corner of the room with a short, “Come!” as she goes.

Annoyed, Doctor goes back to his work, but after ten minutes realises he’s not going to be able to concentrate now and sighs, putting down his quill and crossing his chambers to their bedroom.

River is laying on her side with Serra carefully working her hands into the sore muscles of the empress’s back, and the Doctor clears his throat from the doorway.

“Thank you Serra, I’ll take over.”

The slave girl nods and gets up from the bed, ducking out of the room, and River does not turn her head to look at the Doctor as he crosses the room and sits on the bed. He places his hands on her back and rubs them up towards her shoulders and she lets out a sigh badly disguised as a huff.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to do this,” the Doctor says softly. “You know I’ll do anything for you if you ask.” He presses his thumbs into River’s lower back and feels her exhale and relax. “But I don’t take orders from you anymore.”

She tenses up again immediately. “I wasn’t _ordering_ you,” she says after a moment.

He smooths his palms up to her shoulders. “Yes you were. You’re giving so many orders these days it’s becoming a habit again.”

A stiff silence follows his words; he keeps rubbing her back but she does not relax beneath his hands.

“Well you were the one who wanted me to be the empress again,” she says finally, her voice low and accusing.

His hands pause. “River -”

“Get off me.”

“River -”

_“Off,_ ” She growls, but makes no move to stop him when instead of removing his hands from her he shifts on the bed with a sigh, settling himself behind her and sliding a hand round over her belly to stroke her skin softly as he presses a kiss to the back of her neck. He does it again when she doesn’t move, and lifts his other hand to brush her curls back from her face so he can lean up and plant a kiss on her cheek.

“I hate you,” she grumbles after a moment.

“No you don’t.”

“I do,” she says as his lips press against her bare shoulder, and she wriggles back against him slightly. “Because I’m cross with you, and I’m _tired,_ ” she complains, covering the hand on her belly with her own and beginning to guide it downwards. She moves it down over the swell of her belly and parts her legs just enough to guide his fingers between them. “And somehow you’ve still done _this_ to me,” she breathes, and the Doctor lets out a groan as he feels how wet she is beneath his fingertips.

He strokes his fingers through her folds, circling over her clit and hearing her breathing increase before he slides them down and slips one inside her.

“How long do you have?” He murmurs into her hair.

“Not long enough,” she breathes, but her voice is husky and desperate, and she is rocking her hips in time to the movement of his fingers already. He adds a second, River shifting her thighs apart to give him more room and arching her back with a moan. Her own hand, still covering his, presses the heel of his hand against her clit and she thrusts down onto the pressure before sliding her hand back and pushing two small fingers inside herself along with his to press them up, curling them against her inner walls until her hips jerk and she gasps.

“Inside me,” she pants, writhing against him.

“I am.” He gives a twist of his fingers to punctuate his point and her huff turns into another gasp.

Withdrawing her fingers, she reaches round behind herself to grasp his erection through his toga, causing him to give a muffled grunt and buck his hips into the pressure, another few squeezes has him scrambling to get his toga out of the way, and grasping at her hips to line himself up.

River arches her back and sighs as he slips inside her, her small hand palming her breast and her other moving up to tangle her fingers in his hair behind her head as his mouth finds her neck and he begins to move inside her.

“Harder,” River breathes after a moment.

“What did we say about orders?” He smirks against her neck, and her fingers tighten in his hair irritably.

_“Now,_ ” she growls, clearly not in the mood for jokes, but he kisses her neck softly, letting his tongue caress her skin as he maintains his steady rhythm inside her. He is careful to keep it gentle with her these days, and he knows it frustrates River; she whinges and bites his neck and claws at him, but with his fingers pressed to her clit and the gentle rocking of his hips angled just right to nudge against her perfectly inside, he always gets her to a hard climax just the same.

He knows she is getting close to one now - her fingers are almost painfully tight in his hair and her soft cries are growing higher and closer together as her thighs begin to quiver and he twists his hips on his next thrusts and hears her gasp out his name as her inner walls clench hard around him.

He thrusts through her orgasm, drawing it out until her shudders have died down and he feels himself begin to build to his own climax. He feels River’s fingers pressing over his, applying more pressure to her clit as she rocks her hips against him and he gasps by her ear, everything in his body tightening until River clenches purposefully around him and he comes with his open mouth pressed to her neck, drawing another cry from his wife as she comes again.

The Doctor kisses her neck as he slides out of her, and River turns her head to find his lips with her own, holding his head to hers for a lingering kiss before she releases him, and slumps back down with a satisfied sigh.

Content to lay with her for a moment, he strokes absent patterns on the round of her stomach with his fingertips as their breathing returns to normal.

“I have to go,” River sighs, and he hums sympathetically.  

“You still hungry?” He asks.

“Mm, starving.”

He places a kiss on her shoulder. “Get dressed - I’ll go get you something to eat,” he says, climbing to his feet.

She nods as he clambers out of bed, then rolls to her back to glance up at him. “Sweetie?”

“Hm?”

She smiles. “Thank you.”

He smiles back at her. “Won’t be long.”

“Oh - sweetie,” she says before he can leave the room, and he turns back to face her.

“Yeah?”

“Tell the girl to come in here and help me dress.”

He frowns. “Serra.”

River waves a hand. “Yes - whatever.”

When he asks Serra to go through, she hurries to do so, and he can hear River’s voice immediately - “My dress - quickly. And make sure lunch is here for me in future, I don’t appreciate my husband having to go trekking through the palace to fetch it.”

To the sound of Serra’s stammered apologies, he sighs and leaves the chambers.

\--

At the sound of a knock on the empress’s chamber doors, the Doctor scrambles up from his place on the floor amidst a scattering of papers, brushing off his short toga and glancing at his mistress for permission before hurrying to open it.

It is only two other slaves outside holding a large trunk between them, who nod to him, telling him they have the empress’s new armour, and he waves them in.

“Ah,” River sits up from where she’d been reclined on her chaise-longue with a long scroll of battle statistics, setting it aside and motioning to the floor in front of her. “This should have been here this morning; why are you late?” She demands.

The slaves place the trunk down and bow lowly.

“S - sorry your highness, my master was adding some finishing touches your highness,” one of them says quickly.

“Well - open it then,” River demands when neither of them move, and they hurry to do so.

She rises to her feet, lifting the armour out of the trunk - the Doctor peers over from his place by the door to see a shining gold breastplate in her hands. She turns it over carefully, inspecting it closely and he sees her forehead crease into a frown. She drops it back into the trunk and pulls out a pair of gauntlets, looking at them before dropping them back too and pulling out a helmet, turning it over in her hands before she snaps her head up to glare at the two men.

“This is wrong.”

The slaves look up at her and glance at each other in alarm.

“This isn’t what I ordered - where’s the crest!?” She demands.

One of them tries to stammer something out but she continues, cutting him off.

“I specifically ordered a crest to be embossed on every piece of armour - not scratched into the corner of the breastplate! Why is this wrong!?”

“Uh - please your majesty,” says one of the men, “I don’t know your majesty, we don’t make the armour your majesty -”

“Don’t be smart with me!” She shouts, throwing the helmet across the room in her temper. It clatters against the marble floor and skids across it, and the Doctor, watching with wide eyes, winces along with the other two slaves.

“Take it all back and get it made properly!” She demands. “You have until tomorrow morning or your master will never work for me again.”

“But - your majesty, a day is not possibly enough time to make a whole -”

“Get out!” She screams, “before I have you both lashed for impertinence!”

Tripping over their own feet, the two slaves scramble to shut the trunk and pick it up, scurrying from her chambers as fast as they possibly can.

When the Doctor has dutifully closed the door behind them he turns and crosses the floor to pick up the helmet as River sits back down.

“It wasn’t their fault, mistress,” he says carefully as he hands her the helmet and she takes it with a huff.

“Well they can pass on my displeasure, can’t they?” She says.

He pauses, shuffling on his feet with a frown on his face.

“Why don’t you treat me like you do the other slaves?”

River glances up at him sharply and quirks an eyebrow. “Would you rather I did?” She says curtly.

“No,” he shakes his head quickly. “I just -”

“Then I suggest you keep your mouth shut. And fetch me a drink will you?”

He does as she asks, crossing the chambers to pour out a glass of wine and moving back over to hand it to her. He hovers after she takes it.

“I should have phrased that differently,” he says, unwilling to let it go. “Why don’t you treat the other slaves like you do me?”

River frowns at him. “What?”

“Why do you have to be cruel to them? You’re not cruel to me.”

She snorts. “I’m not _cruel -”_

“You just threatened to lash a man for trying to explain something that wasn’t even his fault.”

River averts her eyes, shifting in her seat. “But I didn’t, did I?”

“No, but you would,” he argues. “You have.”

River doesn’t answer him for several seconds, and then she takes a drink from her glass, clearing her throat. “Weren’t you in the middle of something?” She says shortly. “I’d quite like to get through these reports before I turn grey.”

“Mistress -”

“Don’t irritate me Doctor,” she warns, and he closes his mouth with a sigh, turning and trudging back to his papers. He sits down, thinking the subject has been dismissed, when River speaks again.

“And don’t underestimate me. You’re not special.”

\--

Waking with a jolt, the Doctor flails a bit in his bed, disorientated for a moment before a soft warm hand on his arm stills him.

“Sweetie?” Comes River’s sleepy mumble from next to him, dragging him back to the present. “What is it?”

He glances over to see her gazing at him through soft eyes full of concern in the dark, and he relaxes, settling back down with a sigh.   
“Nothing dear.”

River rubs her hand up his arm. “Didn’t seem like nothing. Bad dream?”

He swallows. “Memory,” he corrects.

“What of?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah… nothing for you to worry about,” he whispers into the dark.

River curls into him best she can with her stomach in the way, leaning in and pressing her lips to his neck in a lingering kiss before settling back down, and he turns into her, arm sliding round her and his free hand coming to rest on her stomach.

“Hmm, get some more sleep,” River mumbles. “You’re leaving early.”

“I know,” he replies.

“Wish you weren’t going,” she says sleepily, and he squeezes her to him, turning his face to press a kiss to her hair.

\--

River says goodbye to her husband in their chambers, and lets him go down alone; she can’t have all of Rome seeing their empress in tears, and trying to get control of herself at the moment has proved to be useless; she’s really had enough of being pregnant now.

She passes the first few days by keeping herself busy, meetings with her council and audiences with her people - she spends time with Livia and overlooks the training of her army but the time still seems to crawl by, an hour does not go past when she doesn’t think of her husband and worry about what might happen to him.

River leans back in her hot bath, letting her head fall back against the side as she sighs, closing her eyes. She had finally found herself with an afternoon spare, and she’d immediately taken the opportunity to order a bath filled; she is tired and aching and she knows she needs to relax.

The heat is helping her aching back... but unfortunately it is doing nothing to quell the ache in the pit of her stomach and between her legs that had been a constant for the last few days. The last couple of weeks had her on edge almost all the time and she curses her pregnancy; she’s stressed and worried about her husband, she could do without the constant frustration as well. She wants him to be safe, and home… but she also wants him to be between her legs, right now. His cock, his mouth, his hands… anything…

Letting out a moan, River shifts in her tub to let her thighs fall apart as her small fingers skate their way between them, and she is pressing two rhythmically against her clit and rocking her hips before she’d even consciously decided to do so. Sighing and knowing there was no use fighting it, she slides down further and lifts a leg to rest up on the side, opening herself more and giving her hand more room to work.

She is slick beneath the water, hotter even than the temperature of her bath and she sighs, licking her lips and letting her mouth fall open as her fingers increase in pace and her breathing becomes ragged.

It doesn’t take long; she feels the pressure building in her abdomen fast and moves her fingers quickly, the other hand clutching the side of the tub and her head tilted back as she pushes herself over the edge and comes with a sharp cry and a shudder of her body. She lets her leg drop as she pants for breath, giving a satisfied hum and leaning her head back against the side of the tub.

“I could have helped you with that, your majesty.”

River snaps her eyes open to see Serra standing opposite her tub. She hadn’t even heard the slave girl enter.

The empress shifts, sitting up a bit in the bath. “Excuse me?”

Serra eyes her coyly. “It’s what I’m here for, after all.”

Her eyes narrowed, River tilts her head at the girl, watching her carefully for a moment before she speaks. “You were Tiberus’s personal slave before I took back the throne weren’t you?”

She nods, glancing to the floor.

“I’m not him,” River says. “You won’t be made to do those things anymore.”

Serra looks up at that, her eyes a little wide a moment, before a small smile comes to her lips and she takes a step forward, shaking her head. “I don’t offer because I think I should. It would be… _far_ from a hardship, your majesty.” The slave girl eyes River blatantly up and down, and the empress’s eyebrows shoot upwards. Her expression turns from kind to steely, and she sits up straight, halting Serra in her tracks from where she’d been approaching the bath tub.

“That won’t be necessary,” River says. “I’m married, and I love my husband.”

Serra has the decency to look embarrassed. “Yes your majesty, sorry your majesty. I - I was only... that… I didn’t think that would make a difference. We... we don’t count to most people.”

The empress arches an eyebrow. “And you know very well that I of all people don’t believe that.”

Serra glances up at her in surprise, and River holds her gaze pointedly for a moment before the slave girl bows her head.

“Of course, your majesty.”

River stands, stepping carefully from the tub and picking up the robe near by, wrapping herself in it.

“Empty this,” she orders, before turning and walking off to her bedchamber.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realised I haven't replied to comments from the last chapter yet and i'm too tired rn its gone 4am but I'll get to it over the weekend <3
> 
> Sorry I'm so slow right now, life is hectic and I really appreciate those of you who are sticking with me :) i'm away next week but when I get back I'll try and get another chapter out fairly soon!


	11. Chapter 11

Clutching the reins of his horse tightly in one hand, the other pressed to his side, the Doctor halts his horse on the brow of the hill and feels relief wash over him at the sight of the city on the horizon.

_Home,_ is the first thought that flashes through his mind and it startles him; since when has he begun to think of Rome as home again? _(Perhaps he never stopped?)_

He turns in his saddle to address the sorry band of men behind him. There were just under twenty of them left. _Twenty out of two hundred._ His heart clenches tight with guilt at the thought and he takes a deep breath, gritting his teeth against the pain, determined to get these ones at least home safe.

“Rome is in sight. We should reach the city by noon.”

The relief is palpable amongst the troops, and the Doctor turns back around and nudges his horse onwards.

\--

When the gates open for him and his men and he rides through into the palace courtyard, River is waiting by the steps, her face unreadable as he halts in front of her and jumps down from his horse, but her arms are there around him as he stumbles a bit, wincing, and she helps him straighten and looks into his eyes.

He tries for a tired smile. “Hi honey,” he quips, “I’m home.”

She slaps him. Then she kisses him so hard it takes all the breath from his lungs. When his knees grow weak and he staggers into her she pulls back, eyes immediately raking his form in scrutiny before she has two men help her get him upstairs. He is out cold before he hits the bed.

\--

“Six weeks!” River shouts.

“I’m sorry,” he says again.

“I thought you were _dead_!”

“There were… unforeseen circumstances.”

“You _could_ have been dead!”

“... I’m sorry.”  
“Stop saying you’re sorry!” The empress snaps, livid, and turns from him to pace her bedchamber. “How could you do this to me?”

“I didn’t do it on purpose -”

“You _left_ me when you knew I didn’t want you to!”

He is silenced at that, looking down guilty into his lap. “We coudln’t predict this would happen, River,” he tries. “And there was only one way it could have.”

She stops pacing at that, turning to frown at him. “What do you mean?”

He sighs, recalling his memories from that night. “We found tunnels beneath the city - scouted those tunnels, watched them for five days before we made our move - they were unguarded. On the night I took my men through them into the city, fifty soldiers were waiting for us - fully armed. Just there, waiting - they knew we were coming. When we escaped… those of us who _did_ …” He sees River inhale sharply at that and he knows she is imagining that he might not have - “When we got back to the camp… all of it was ashes.” He takes a deep shaky breath, feeling the full responsibility of so many lives lost. “They knew when and where we planned to attack, knew where we staged men to signal for help - and knew where we were hiding the rest of the army. Someone betrayed us.”

River curses. “Do you know who?”

He shakes his head. “Even the army weren’t told when we planned to attack until that night. Only a few knew… and a few back here at the palace who’d helped plan it of course.”

River nods once. “I want a list of their names.”

The Doctor nods back and with another glance at him, River turns to leave before he calls out to stop her.

“River -”

She pauses, back to him.

He swallows. “Can I see him?”

River doesn’t move for a second, and he thinks she is going to leave without answering before she says quietly. “You should get some more rest.”

“He’s my _son,_ River -”

She whirls to face him with anger flashing in her eyes. “And one more day won’t make a difference to the two weeks he’s already spent without you.” She turns away again. “Go back to sleep,” she says, before she leaves him alone.

\--

When he wakes again it is to a soft gurgling noise, and his wife’s smile when he blinks open his eyes to see her seated on the bed next to him, a bundle cradled in her arms. Suddenly wide awake, he struggles to pull himself upright, River placing a hand on his arm to help him. He gazes down at the bundle in wonder and reaches out his arms.

“Can I?”

River nods, and carefully passes him over, her fingers tucking back the blankets from the baby’s tiny pink face.

“I’m sorry for earlier,” River says quietly as they both look down at the child. “You’re right, he’s your son, and I wasn’t trying to keep him from you… I was just angry… I thought you were _dead_ , sweetie… you have no idea what you’ve put me through…”

“I’m sorry…”

She sighs. “I know you are.”

They fall silent and the Doctor gazes down at the baby in his arms.

“He’s perfect,” he says quietly and reverently after a moment, and River leans into him.

“He looks like you,” she smiles, gently stroking the baby’s soft cheek with a finger. “Poor thing.”

“Oi!”

She chuckles and rests her head on her husband’s shoulder.

After a moment the Doctor swallows. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”

There is a beat before River nods. “I haven’t named him,” she says.

“My vote’s still on Hercules the Great.”

She rolls her eyes, “We’re not naming our son after a stupid myth.”

“Based on fact!” He protests, “And why not? Hercules is a great story. And I knew a Hercules once, he was very noble.”

“He was your horse, sweetie.”

“And the noblest of steeds ever to walk the earth!”

“My child is not being named after a horse.”

The Doctor sighs. “Well,” he says after a moment, more seriously. “There was someone else I thought we could name him after.”

“If you say ‘the Doctor’ I’m leaving you.”

“I was actually thinking your father.”

River inhales sharply and goes quiet. The Doctor watches her as she looks down at the baby, her brow furrowed, finger still stroking his tiny little cheek. “Roranicus,” she whispers after a moment, and the Doctor nods.

“Rory. He was your father… and he saved my life. He was a good man… a great man.”

After a long pause, River nods. “I like it,” she says, and smiles down at their son. “Hello Rory.”

\--

The next few weeks pass quickly. The Doctor’s wounds from the battle had been only superficial and he heals quickly, getting straight back to catching up on what he’d missed while he’d been away. River of course, had already been back to training her army by the time he got back - he didn’t know how long it took women to recover from childbirth but he’s certain she should have given it more than the three days he’d found out it was before she was down in her training court. She rolled her eyes at him when he fussed, promising him she was building her fitness back up slowly and carefully but from what he’d heard, she was already fighting like she’d never taken a break from it by the time he returned.

As for the traitor, they had no way of finding out who it had been - there were too many whom it _could_ have been - although both River and the Doctor had their suspicions of Darius. Neither trusted him - but without evidence they knew they couldn’t accuse him, and so for now had settled on keeping a close eye on him and having him discreetly followed until they found out more.

With the army now severely diminished thanks to the failure of his mission, River sent out a calling to all cities under her rule for fit young men to come forward to join Rome’s royal army promising good conditions and rates of pay set to rise as the empire's economy continuingly improved. Several on her council had argued that it should be a demand not an opportunity but the Doctor was proud to see that River would not be budged.

The news of River’s return to the throne having spread by now, along with the news that the world’s greatest empire was once again rising to its former glory, men soon starting pouring in with ambitions to join the royal army. All men were tested and given a place in it if they were able. River insists on being present at every one of these trials herself, turning them into day long events that take place in her training court, pitting the potential soldiers against her men in a series of fights that determine whether they have the potential to become part of her army, while she watches from the throne she has set up at the head of the court.

The Doctor sits beside her, keeping the lists and writing down her decisions for her, and complaining about being bored every ten minutes until River declares a short break, drags the Doctor into her tent, sinks down on her knees in front of him and has him coming with a gasp of her name in minutes.  

“Now will you shut up for the rest of the day and let me do my job?” She says as she rises to her feet, wiping her mouth. He nods mutely and cannot find the strength to be irritated when she pats his cheek with a smirk and a “good boy,” too satisfied to do anything but stumble after her as she leaves the tent.

When the last potential soldier leaves the court, River dismisses the crowd that had gathered along the sidelines to watch, and takes the scroll the Doctor had been scribbling on throughout the day to scan through the list of names who’d made it through.

“This is good,” she nods as she reads. “It was a good day.”

“We have more than the number we lost now,” he agrees. “Of course, most of them need a lot of training though.”

She nods and opens her mouth to reply when a scuffling causes them to look up, to see a tall man with fair hair and a big smile on his face striding towards them, and one of River’s soldiers hurrying after him.

“I’m so sorry your majesty, I tried to keep him out,” the soldier hurries to explain, “But he insists he’s come to try out…”

River eyes the man with a frown, and sits up straight on her throne. “The trials have finished for today; you’re too late. The next one is in two weeks; you’ll have to come to that.”

“But it’s taken me two weeks travelling to get here!” He exclaims, arms wide. “I came as soon as I heard you were looking for soldiers, your majesty - I wish to serve you! It’s all I’ve ever wanted!”

“Then you won’t mind waiting another two weeks will you?” She says, going to stand.

Quick as a flash, the man picks up a spear from the middle of the court, and hurls it across the arena. It slams straight into the middle of one of the targets set up on the far side. He turns only to flash a grin at River before he pulls out three knives from his vest, and one by one, throws them, landing each one perfectly in the centre of three other of the targets. He pulls a sword from his belt and twirls it in an elaborate way, before tossing it high in the air, letting it spin several times before catching it by the handle.

The Doctor resists the urge to roll his eyes, muttering a “show off”, under his breath to River.

Ignoring his comment, River narrows her eyes at the man. “Atilius,” she motions to her general after a moment and nods to the man. Atilius gets to his feet, drawing a sword out of its holster on his hip and striding down towards the man in the court. They face each other, swords drawn, and circle for a moment before Atilius lunges at him, a move he parries perfectly.

The two fight and it very quickly becomes clear who is at the advantage, and much to the Doctor and River’s surprise, it isn’t her general. In just a few moments, the man manages to disarm Atilius, and knocks him to the ground where he points his sword at his neck, before shaking his mop of hair out of his face and looking over to River with a smirk.

“What’s your name?” River demands.

Tossing his sword to the ground he shoves a hand through his messy hair again and moves towards River, bowing exaggeratedly.

“Regulus Maximus.”

“Well… that was very impressive,” River says, albeit reluctantly. “Atilius is a strong fighter.”

The man smirks, shrugging his shoulders. “Not your best I hope.”

She purses her lips and does not reply.

“How old are you?” She questions instead.

“Nineteen, your highness.”

“Hm,” River comments. “You have a lot to learn.”

The man places a hand on his heart and bows his head, although his eyes boldly do not leave hers. “That’s why I’m here. My only wish is to serve you. So,” he says after a moment when she doesn’t reply. “Do I make it?” He grins.

“I’ll have to think about it,” says River.

“River,” the Doctor hisses from next to her, “He’s the best fighter we’ve seen all day! He’s better than most of your army! Maybe all of them…”

River glances over at the man to see him smirking up at her, and she sighs.

“You start training at dawn. Go with Atilius, he’ll show you your quarters.”

The man grins and bows exaggeratedly, before swaggering off after a disgruntled looking Atilius, pausing once at the exit to throw River a glance over his shoulder before striding off.

“There’s something about that man…” River says to the Doctor after they leave.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know,” she says. “Just something… he was too cocky.”

The Doctor snorts. “Aren’t half the men who join the army? I’m sure you’ll easily bring him down a peg or two dear once you start training him along with the rest.”

She shakes her head. “It’s not just that. It was… the way he was staring at me.”

The Doctor rolls his eyes, getting to his feet with a sigh. “Everyone stares at you,” he says, offering her his hand.

She shakes her head as she takes it and steps down from her throne. “I don’t mean in that way.”

“What way then?”

“I don’t know.”

“It’s just been a long day,” the Doctor says as he tucks her hand round his arm.

“Maybe,” River says, and doesn’t speak any more of him, but for the rest of the day and night cannot shake the image of pale blue eyes boring into her own in a way that made her inexplicably unsettled.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi... sorry? i have no excuse except life got in the way... and i feel like this is utter crap… like the story is all in my head but i don’t know how to make it come out anymore… :/ is anyone even still interested in this story after so long? because I do want to continue it and i do want to finish it, i just don't know anymore... i would appreciate some words of encouragement if anyone is still reading and enjoying this, there is still a big story to be told if i can make it work...


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for the support you all gave me last chapter, I am most definitely going to be continuing this story, and will be trying not to leave you so long between updates... here's a nice long chapter to make up for it :)

Tired after a long afternoon training the new recruits to her army, River makes her way to her chambers, thinking of nothing but a long hot bath and maybe a nap before she had to attend the feast planned for this evening.

“Serra,” she says as she pushes open the door, “Draw me a bath immediately -” She stops short at the sight that greets her - the Doctor sitting at the table along with Atilius and two members of her council, maps and parchments strewn out on in front of them.

“What’s this?”

“Hello dear,” the Doctor smiles, standing to lope over to her and plant a kiss on her cheek. “Long day?”

River pushes him back with a frown, gesturing to the table. “What’s going on?”

“Oh -,” he says, shrugging. “We were just, you know… drawing up some plans.”

“Plans for what?” She demands, folding her arms, and the men at the table avert their eyes and shift in their seats, detecting the anger in her voice.

“Um -” he scratches his face. “The next mission?”

River’s hands move to her hips, _“What_ mission?”

Eyes widening a bit, the Doctor glances back at the table. “Er - perhaps we should call it a day chaps…”

“No,” River says sternly as they go to rise, “I think you should all stay _right there_ and explain to me what exactly you’re _planning_ without my knowledge?”

“It’s just - an idea I had River,” the Doctor flails to explain, “It’s not like that -”

“It’s exactly like that,” she says, “If you think after what happened you’re going swanning off with half my army again - you’ve got another think coming,” she rages, “And you!” She turns sharp green eyes on Atilius, “You should know better than to think you can plan something like this behind my back!”

“I… didn’t realise you weren’t aware, your highness,” Atilius answers.

“... I see,” River says. She eyes the Doctor coldly for a minute before she snaps. “Leave us,” to the others, who hurry quickly to obey, clearly relieved at the chance to make an exit.

“River,” he sighs as soon as the door closes.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing Doctor?” She demands.

“River,” he says again, “Look - I know the last one went badly but -”

“‘ _Went badly’!_? You nearly died! You got half my army slaughtered!”

“It wasn’t half -”

“Don’t you dare!”

“What I do, River,” he says, “It’s important… I’m not giving it up.”

“Important to you - what about me?”

“It’s important to Rome - to everyone,” he says. “I’m protecting people - preventing wars!”

She folds her arms. “You’re not going again.”

The Doctor stands his ground. “You can’t stop me,” he says quietly.

River’s eyes widen and she opens her mouth to snap back before she closes it again and sets her jaw. “I can’t stop you,” she agrees, “But I can prevent you from taking my army. You go and get yourself killed if you want,” she says before stalking past him into her bedchamber.

She’s pulled off her boots and stripped off her battle tunic by the time the Doctor follows her into their bedchamber, and is sitting on the bed angrily tugging the braid out of her hair. He hovers for a moment before crossing the room to settle behind her on the corner of the bed and reach out to gently tug her hands from her hair.

“Let me,” he murmurs gently, and River sighs and drops her hands, allowing him to pull the plait over her shoulder and continue unwinding it.

“I’m not going to get myself killed,” he says.

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” she says curtly.

“You have to take risks for the things you believe in -”

“I thought you were dead!” She whips her head round to accuse him angrily, his hands falling from her hair. “Do you understand that? I went for weeks not knowing if my husband was alive or not, I can’t go through that again!”

“River…” He moves to place a hand on his face but she bats him away angrily.

“I can’t lose you!” She shoves him and he topples back on the bed, her falling down over him, “Don’t you understand?” She looks into his eyes with pain in her own. “I need you, Doctor…”

He swallows, and reaches up to touch her face. “River…” he says again, but she closes the gap between them and cuts him off by kissing him roughly, shifting to straddle him.

“Need you,” she mutters again, breathless against his mouth and his hands go to her hips as her own move to yank at the clothing between them.

“Take this off,” she growls, frustrated when she cannot free him of his toga fast enough, and the Doctor’s hands tighten on her hips.

“We should talk,” he utters, breathless now.

“No,” she shakes her head, whispering, “We should fuck.”

He groans as she rocks against the growing bulge in his toga, feeling how hot she is even through their layers of clothing, and he feels his resolve slip away. “Fine - but after we talk,” he murmurs, hands sliding her tunic up her thighs and long fingers slipping between her legs.

Unfortunately for the Doctor, they spend so long indulging their desire for each other between their sheets that afternoon, that by the time they have finally had their fill, he has utterly forgotten what went on between them before.

He lies in peaceful content next to his wife, her arm and leg slung over him and his fingertips tracing idle patterns on her arm, until River sighs and shifts against him and he knows she’s remembering somewhere she or both of them need to be.

“Come on,” she pats his arm before sitting up and stretching her arms above her head. “We’ve got a feast to get to.”

“Right,” the Doctor nods. “Is there really much point in having a feast for a baby? He can’t even eat any of the food. Seems a bit unfair if you ask me…”

River rolls her eyes as she swings her legs out of bed and scoops up a robe. “It’s a feast in his _honour_ , Doctor. You can’t just ignore the birth of a son of the empress you know. It’s tradition to celebrate.”

“Yes but -”

She flings a toga at his head. “Get dressed. I’m going to call for a bath.” She pauses in the threshold and gives him a flirtatious glance. “Unless you want to join me?”

Pulling the toga from his face he grins at her. “Do you really need to ask?”

\--

They are quite late by the time they actually get round to getting ready, but River is the empress and so the Doctor supposes late doesn’t really exist for her.

“Are you two ready yet?” He calls from out in their chambers where he’d been sent to wait what felt like an age ago so River could get their daughter ready.

“Almost!” River calls back, and he hears Livia’s giggle.

Deciding to see what they are up to, he gets up from the table and walks into the bedchamber to see River standing behind their daughter who is seated at her mother’s dressing table, while she carefully pins a tiny crown of gold leaves in place atop of her dark curls.

“Daddy! Look at my crown it’s like mummy’s!”

His eyebrows raising as he looks at her and glances at River, he clears his throat. “Yes, I can see that.”

River smiles down at her daughter, securing the last pin. “How about a necklace to go with it hm?” She says, pulling open the draw and pulling out a box, which she opens, removing an elaborate gold neck adornment, interwoven with blue jewels. “Here, this one matches your dress too.”

The little girl gasps, touching fingers reverently to the jewelry. “It’s beautiful…”

“Er… don’t you think that’s a little much, dear,” the Doctor says, stepping into the room. River glances at him in the mirror and frowns.

“No.”

“Can I keep it mama?” Asks Livia, her cheeks flushed pink with excitement as she touches tiny fingers to the piece of jewelry and River’s face breaks into a smile again, her hands brushing Livia’s dark curls back into place.

“Of course you can my darling. It looks far better on you than me anyway.” She laughs when Livia squeals with happiness and turns to hug her, and pats her daughter’s shoulder. “Go and get Serra to fetch your cloak now; we’re already late.”

She turns back to her dressing table to pick up a pair of earrings for herself as Livia runs from the room and the Doctor clears his throat.

“Are you ready sweetie?” River says as she hooks jewels into her ears.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” He says, ignoring her question.

River pauses, her eyes finding his in the mirror. “What?”

“Jewels _\- crowns?_ You’re making her think she’s a princess.”

“She’s my daughter. She is a princess.”

He frowns at her. “This isn’t forever River -”

“She loves it - did you see her face? Don’t you want our daughter to be happy?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then I don’t know what you’re complaining about. Can you fasten this for me?” She sweeps her curls aside, holding sparkling gold neck-piece to her, and the Doctor sighs and crosses the room to do so, deciding to let the matter drop for now.

\--

The Doctor sits next to River in the middle of the huge table set up at the head of the hall, adorned with other, smaller tables and filled with people, music, laughter and food. Livia sits on River’s other side, and Rory in a crib between he and River - he is the guest of honour after all. The table in front of them is covered with gifts people had brought forwards for the empress’s new son - their generosity had astounded the Doctor, and the lavishness of some of the presents indicated not only their adoration for the empress but also how much the city and it’s people were clearly beginning to prosper in their wealth once more.

Rory gazes about in wonder when River lifts him from the crib and into her arms, and doesn’t seem bothered by the noise and festivities the Doctor had been worried may unsettle him. He reaches over to affectionately touch a fingertip to his son’s tiny chin and River turns to smile at him, looking so utterly radiant that he cannot help but beam back, leaning over in his seat to quickly press a kiss to her lips.

He opens his mouth to tell her how lovely she looks when they are interrupted by somebody else approaching their table.

“Your highness!” River looks up to see her cocky new recruit, Regulus approaching. “ _Great_ party!” He slurs as he reaches the table, goblet in hand, plonking it down to lean over. “So this is the heir to your empire?”

River moves Rory away as Regulus drunkenly reaches out to him.

“Small little fella isn’t he?”

“You’re drunk Regulus. I suggest you go and sleep it off before training in the morning,” River says coldly.

“Alright, alright,” he chuckles, hands held up. “Just wanted to come and meet the guest of honour.”

He reaches out again but River grabs his hand, bending his finger backwards enough to make him yelp.

“Don’t touch my son,” she hisses, throwing him back.

“River!” The Doctor scolds and she turns to him with a frown.

“Perhaps you could remind Regulus of the way out?”

“I only wanted to come and say hello,” Regulus gives the Doctor a wounded look, cradling his hand.

“River,” the Doctor says, leaning in to speak quietly, “I don’t think he means any harm…”

“I’m certain he doesn’t,” she says coldly, a clear threat in her voice, “But if he thinks some worthless drunk soldier has the right to touch the empress’s son then he has a few things to learn about this place.”

Regulus places a hand on his heart, “I apologise if I have offended her majesty,” he slurs.

River looks away, feining uninterest and the Doctor sighs, rising from his seat and rounding the table.

“Come on, you’ve had a lot to drink,” he says, clapping the man on the shoulder as he steers him towards the door, “Good man.”

River sips her wine and watches with narrowed eyes until the soldier leaves the hall, and lets out a breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding.

“Why do you hate that man so much?” The Doctor asks as he slips back into his chair beside her.

“I don’t hate him,” River sighs, shifting the baby in her arms. “I actually admire him a great deal - his fighting skills are incredible for his age - maybe even as good as mine were. But he’s never going to get very far in Rome if he doesn’t drop the arrogance. Good soldiers need discipline, above all else.”

“I’m sure he’ll grow into it,” the Doctor replies, sipping from his own goblet.

“He better.”

Little Rory squirms in River’s arms, fussing a bit and wriggling about as River tries to settle him. “You can never keep still can you?” She complains to him softly, “Just like your father.”

“Oi!”

River chuckles, and passes him the child eagerly when he holds out his arms to take him.

“Don’t listen to your mother; only boring people are content to sit still for so long.”

“You’re lucky I love you,” River shoots back.

He winks. “I know.”

Atilitus catches the Doctor’s attention on his other side, and he turns to face him as the two strike up a conversation, and River looks up to smile and offer thanks as another couple approach with a gift for her child.

She sits for a while, more than content at the centre of the celebrations, conversing with those who approach and watching the various dancers and entertainers that play out before her until something catches her attention in the corner of her eye.

“More wine, sir?” A man dressed in simple robes of white leans forward to offer her husband, and he glances round from his conversation only briefly to reply distractedly - “Yes please - thank you,” before turning to continue and it strikes River as out of place that her husband is the only one at the table being offered. When she glances round she sees that the man holds only a small decanter - just enough to fill one goblet and not the jugs her slaves are charged with…

She grabs his wrist as he leans forward to pour the liquid into the Doctor’s goblet and nails digging in painfully, she yanks him towards her and sniffs the decanter.

Her eyes turn dark with fury, and in a quick, undetectable movement she has a knife withdrawn from her boot and pressed into the man’s thigh, behind the table and out of sight of anyone who should glance over.

“You think you can poison my husband right under my nose and I won’t notice?” She growls in a low voice.

“I - your majesty,” he gasps, “I - I was just told to top up his highness’s drink I - I didn’t know it was poison I swear - I’m just a slave -”

“No you’re not,” she snarls, releasing his wrist but digging the knife in further to his groin. “Now you have two choices,” she says in a low, deadly voice, knife pressed in hard. “You can drink that yourself - or I can cut you open and you can bleed to death slowly all over this floor - there’s an artery _right_ ,” she punctuates her point by digging the knife further into his thigh, “ _here.”_ She takes a sip from her own goblet, eyes on the party, anybody glancing over none the wiser to what’s going on between her and the wide eyed man next to her. “Your choice.”

“Y - your highnhess,” the man stammers out a gasp.

River jabs the dagger further in. “ _Drink it.”_

“I - I -”

“Did I mention that this is an extremely slow and painful way to die - although nightshade can be a very unpleasant way to go to - it depends on the strength of the dosage you have in there. The choice is yours - although I do so hate to spill blood at a party - but sometimes it cannot be helped.”

She steadily presses the knife in deeper to his thigh, drawing blood to the surface and sending it trickling down his leg, and the man whimpers, a few more seconds pass until he makes his decision and knocks back the liquid in the decanter in one go.

Withdrawing the knife, River hides a smile in her goblet of wine as she takes another sip and hears the man choke and collapse to the ground behind her.

The noise of the festivities cover the sound - even the Doctor does not look round from his conversation, and River glances behind at the guards on the door and waves them over with a snap of her fingers.

“Dispose of this filth,” she orders them quietly and they nod once and set to discreetly dragging the body from the hall.

River is distracted quickly when the baby in her husband’s arms begins to cry, a sound which quickly turns into a loud wail and she leans over talk to him gently as the Doctor bounces and shushes him.

“I think he’s had enough for the night,” she says after a moment with a sigh, and glances round. “Here, you,” she motions to a slave girl pouring out drinks and beckons her over. “Take the children to the nursery,” she says.

“It’s alright,” says the Doctor standing with Rory in his arms. “I’ll do it.”

“Sweetie you don’t need to leave the party she can -”

“No, it’s fine,” he says, taking the wailing child from his wife. “I want to.”

River rolls her eyes but gives in, leaning up to press a kiss to her son’s head and telling the Doctor quietly not to be long.

“Yes dear,” the Doctor replies. “Livia? Come on you, it’s past your bedtime as well.”

He meets Serra on the first flight of stairs, nearly running right into her, and chuckling as he moves back.

“Sorry sir,” she apologises, bowing, “I was just coming to see if her highness wanted me to take the children to bed.”

“And you have perfect timing it seems,” the Doctor smiles. “Come on Livia,” he tugs at his daughter’s hand but Serra shakes her head, holding out her arms towards the baby.

“No, no sir, I’ll take them - you should get back to the party.”

“Well… okay.” He passes her his son and kisses him and Livia goodnight before bidding Serra a good night too and turning to head back towards the party.

Jogging down the stairs and rounding the corner, the Doctor hears voices in the hallway just outside and something one of them says makes him pause in his tracks, moving back behind the corner.

“You sure he’s dead?”

“Well he looks pretty dead to me.”

Peeking wide-eyed from behind the corner, the Doctor sees two of River’s guards, one of them nudging the body of a man lying on the floor between them with a boot.

“What do we do with him?”

“I dunno - she just said dispose of him.”

The other man leans down, peering into the dead man’s face - which the Doctor can now see is almost purple, his eyes bulging out of their sockets.

“Poor bastard,” says the guard. “What he do?”

“Tried to kill her husband, I think.”

The other one snorts. “Fool. She ain’t one to mess with. Come on then,” he sighs, leaning down to grab the man’s legs, “Suppose we better get him out of here. Reckon we can dump him in the river.”

“Are you joking? That’s bloody miles away,” says the other guard, grabbing the body’s arms and heaving him up, beginning to struggle with him down the hallway.

“Well I know but you got a better plan? She ain't gonna be happy if we leave him lying around somewhere.”

“Yeah but how we gonna get him all the way down there? Fat bastard weights a tonne…”

Their voices fade as they round the corner and disappear into the distance, and the Doctor steps from the shadows, a frown on his face, staring after them for a moment before he makes his way slowly back to the hall.

\--

If River had noticed that he was quiet since his return, she hadn’t said anything - he supposes she was distracted enough with the festivities and he hadn’t wanted to make a scene in front of everyone by bringing up what he’d seen - but it had disturbed him and he doesn’t intend to let it go either.  

"Well," River says with a yawn when they finally reach their chambers after the long night as she tosses her cloak off. "I think that was a success. And I think I'm definitely ready for bed." She turns to face the Doctor and holds out her hand with a smile.

"I know what you did," the Doctor says quietly.

River drops her hand. "What?"

He folds his arms. “You know what.”

River frowns at him. "Sweetie, I haven't got the faintest idea what you're talking about."

"Tonight, River, at the party. I saw your men dragging out a body."

Something like defiance flickers across rivers face and she sets her jaw, turning away from him to march towards her bedchamber as she answers; "I was protecting you. You're welcome."

"I don't want you to kill for me," the Doctor replies, following after her, "You know I don't want that!"

"And I don't want you dead," River says stubbornly as she begins peeling off the many layers of jewels she has adorned herself with, tossing each one on to her dressing table with a clatter. "He tried to poison you, Doctor, and you expect me to let him live?" She practically scoffs.

Every man should at least get a trial -"

"No, he shouldn't. If there's one person trying to kill you, there's more. Most likely connected. Maybe they'll think twice now they've seen what fate awaits an attempt."

“River -”

“You knew there would be dangers here when you pressured me to return,” she says furiously, whirling on him. “You knew, Doctor, that us coming back here would mean putting me in a position where I would have to protect my family from any of those dangers. I’ll do what it takes to do that,” she says, turning from him again to unclip and shed her gown. “Now are you coming to bed?”

There is a stiff pause before the Doctor mutters his reply; “I’ll sleep outside,” he says, stalking from the room, and furious, River scoops up a necklace and hurls it after him, her anger sending it smashing into the wall and scattering beads and stones all over the floor.

“Next time I’ll let him _poison you!”_

\--

They do not speak for three days. They spend the majority of their days apart anyway and the Doctor sleeps the nights in the nursery across the hall with their children.

It is on the third morning when River is down in her throne room holding an audience with her people, her mood already less than bright due to the continued tension between her and her husband, topped off by a morning filled with people coming to her with problems they cannot expect her to fix, when her least favourite soldier, Regulus, decides to take it upon himself to stroll in.

She looks up from the scroll in front of her and frowns when she sees who is next swaggering across the hall towards her. “Regulus,” she scowls, “Who let him in here?” She demands.

The guard on the door shrugs, “He said he had a concern to bring forward your majesty.”

“This audience is for civilians,” River folds her arms when he reaches the foot of the steps to her throne.

“I am a civilian.”

“You’re a soldier.”

“Well, when I’m not soldiering, I’m still a citizen of Rome, am I not?”

River raises an eyebrow, unamused. “What do you want?”

“Well -”

“You’ve got ten seconds before I have you thrown out.”

“My, is this the way you treat all your good people?”

“Five.”

“Alright, alright - I’ve figured out a way we can cut costs for the army,” he says quickly, “Immensely.”

River frowns. “The army’s finances are not your concern.”

“No,” he agrees, “But I couldn’t help overhearing Atlius and some of the other generals discussing things with your chancellors this morning and I couldn’t help myself.” He shrugs. “I’ve always had a head for figures.”

“It’s not your _place_ -” River fumes, but he cuts her off, unrolling a scroll and holding it out towards her.

“Just… have a look, will you?” He flashes her a grin. “I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

River narrows her eyes at him for a moment before she nods to one of the men next to her to step down and take the scroll he is holding out, to bring it to her. Her eyes skim the writing and the figures quickly and she purses her lips.

“Fine,” she says eventually. “I’ll take this into consideration. You’re dismissed.”

“I’d like to stay actually.”

“What?” River half-laughs. “You’re a soldier - what place do you think you have here?”

“I’m just interested,” he shrugs. “And I thought we could go over things afterwards,” he nods at the scroll. “Come on… haven’t I earnt it?”

Letting out a huff and rolling her eyes, River sets the scroll down beside her. “Fine,” she says. “But only because your writing is so atrocious I can’t read half of this for myself.” She points to the corner. “Get over there and keep your mouth shut or you’re going straight out again.”

Surprisingly, he does actually keep quiet through the rest of the hearings - she had nearly been done anyway and after just several more people she calls it a morning and dismisses everyone from the room. Her eyes turn to Regulus as he strolls over from his place in the corner.

“So are you going to come out with whatever it is you really want?” River says, and the question seems to take him back, although he recovers quickly.

“Whatever do you mean, highness?”

“You’re after something,” she says, eyes narrowed.

He smirks, giving an exaggerated bow. “I merely wish to serve my empress.”

“Don’t give me that crap. You have another purpose in being here and I suggest you tell me before I force it out of you.”

Infuriatingly he only smiles at her - like he knows something she doesn’t and it makes her frustration grow.

“What is it you want?” She demands. You’re after a general’s badge? Because arrogance and irritating me is not the way to achieve one.”

“No, that’s not what I want - although I wouldn’t say no if you’re offering - for now.”

“For now?” She frowns, “What do you mean for now?”

“I mean…” he strolls closer to the foot of the steps, idly tracing his hands over the decorative vase sitting atop one of the half pillars at the bottom of the stairs. “That my ambitions are… considerably greater than a general’s status.”

“What the hell are you getting at?” She demands, fingers beginning to twitch, the knife in her boot niggling on her mind.

“I’m _getting at_ …” He strolls slowly back to the center of the steps and takes a step up onto one of them. “What I’m owed.”

“What do you mean what you’re _owed?”_

“I mean what _you_ , owe me.”

River sits up straight in her throne, eyes cold. “I don’t owe you anything.”

“I really think you do.”

River practically scoffs, more than ready to pull the knife out of her boot and teach this lowlife idiot before her a lesson. “And how do you figure that one?”

He pauses for a moment, eyes flickering quickly up and down her, and then he stands up straighter. “I figure it’s about time we were properly introduced.”

“Oh do you?” Says River.

“Or re-introduced.”

She frowns, “Excuse me?”

Regulus walks steadily up the two remaining steps until he stops right in front of her throne - and River only allows him because she is now so intrigued as to what he has to say, more than ready to draw her weapon on him if she needs to. Regulus surprises her by bowing lowly and dramatically, hand over his heart before he stands up tall again and grins at her.

“Hello mother.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m intrigued to know whether anybody guessed who Regulus was before that last line? I know one person guessed after the last chapter so well done… I mean I’m annoyed that you guessed it haha but also impressed! This little plot twist has been the one I’ve been dying to get to since like the start of the fic - it actually came to me in a dream, weirdly enough... I'll try not to keep you hanging there too long! ;)


	13. Chapter 13

_Regulus pauses for a moment, eyes flickering quickly up and down her, and then he stands up straighter. “I figure it’s about time we were properly introduced.”_

_“Oh do you?” Says River._

_“Or re-introduced.”_

_She frowns, “Excuse me?”_

_Regulus walks steadily up the two remaining steps until he stops right in front of her throne - and River only allows him because she is now so intrigued as to what he has to say, more than ready to draw her weapon on him if she needs to. Regulus surprises her by bowing lowly and dramatically, hand over his heart before he stands up tall again and grins at her._

_“Hello mother.”_

\--

River’s eyes widen, and she chokes on a gasp before her expression turns steely and she flies to her feet, glaring at him angrily.

“What the hell are you talking about? You’re delusional!”

He spreads out his arms and feigns hurt. “Is that the greeting I receive? I’m your long lost son!”

“The only son I have is upstairs in his cot,” she snarls at him.

“Now you and I both know that’s not true, don’t we?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She shoves past him, striding away, down the steps. “I suggest you’re gone by morning before I have you forcibly removed from this city.”

“Is that any way to treat your own blood?”

“Stop saying that!” She snaps, whirling back to face him. “You are not my son. It’s impossible.”

“But I am…” he says, moving towards her. “You had me in Cirras, a small village outside Athens nineteen years ago. You left me outside a temple,” he places a hand on his chest and feigns anguish. “You _abandoned_ me.”

River stares at him a moment before she points a furious finger at him. “You’re _delusional_.” She snarls. “I don’t know what you’re trying to pull but it’s not going to work. The only children I’ve ever had are upstairs with my husband.” She takes a threatening step towards him. “Now get out of my palace. You’re dismissed from my army.” She turns and strides towards the doors, throwing over her shoulder. “You have until the morning to gather your possessions and be gone.”

River marches out of the hall and slams the door forcibly shut behind her. She collapses back against it, her legs weak and heart pounding, and puts her head in her hands.

\--

Hand around his daughter’s as she skips along at his side, the Doctor strolls through the city streets of Rome, the sun blazing hot above their heads. The streets are busy - back now to the normal bustle of city life that had been absent when they had first returned; people walk briskly, going about their business rather than wandering slowly with heads down, aimless amongst the poverty. It has been just over 9 moons since River’s return to the throne, and the difference she has made already is astounding. Most everything that had gone to ruin in the city is now restored and no family is any longer without a home. Granted, the housing is crowded but River is making plans to have more built in place of the second baths she’d deemed useless and had knocked down.

People are cheerful as they stroll the streets; children run and play, women browse the market stalls that line the main streets, every wagon driver he steps aside to let pass thanks him with a bow of his head. All these lives they have improved - because River had made it her priority to take care of the people first, and he knows this shows how much she has changed from the woman who ruled the city before in her best interests first.  

A woman passes them with a jug of water on her head, a girl tagging along behind her, struggling with her own little jug too.

Livia tugs on his hand.

“Yes sweetheart?”

“There’s a well by the far wall,” Livia points a little finger in the direction they’ve come from. “And one at the other end of the city.”

“Mhm,” he says, “That’s where the people get their water - so they don’t have to leave the city to go all the way down to the river.”

“The city’s on a hill,” she says, “So the water must run down underground through the middle of it.”

“I believe it does, yes.”

“Well… if there was a well in the middle as well these people in the centre wouldn’t have to walk so far to get their water every day.”

The Doctor pauses in the middle of the street and blinks down at her. He’s been taking her with him most days that he wanders down here to oversee the city’s rebuilding, but this is the first time she’s ever made a suggestion of her own - let alone such an intelligent one.

With a grin, the Doctor bends down and plants a kiss on her head. “Livia you are brilliant!”  
She giggles in delight.

“Why don’t we go back to the palace and get out some charts of the city - we can make some plans for where to build this well.”

“I already know exactly where to put it,” she says with a happy little smile.

“Do you now?” The Doctor laughs. “And just when did you get so clever?”

“I’ve always been this way,” she says.

“Hm,” he smiles down at her fondly as they begin walking again. “Just like your mother.”

Livia shakes her dark head. “Mummy says I got it from you.”

His eyebrows raising, the Doctor shakes his head with a smile. “Your mother’s as clever as I am.”

“I know,” Livia grins up at her father. “I think she just loves you a lot.”

Squeezing her little hand in his own, the Doctor lets out a sigh. “And I love her a lot too.”

Rolling her eyes, Livia tugs on his hand. “Come on, I want to go find the charts!” She says, and he lets her pull him along.

\--

It has been a long day for the empress, and when River enters her chambers that night, she finds them mercifully quiet, and tosses off her cloak and sandals with a sigh. She can hear the Doctor shuffling about in their bedchamber and so wanders out onto the balcony instead.

She leans her elbows on the edge of the balcony’s stone wall with a sigh, and looks out over her city.

“If you’re trying to creep up on me you know it’s pointless,” she says after a moment.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” comes the reply from the Doctor, as she feels him step up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist. She tenses, surprised at the affection after three days of cold silence.

“Have you?” She says, keeping her tone neutral.

Instead of responding to the question, he nudges her curls aside with his nose and places a lingering kiss to the juncture between her neck and shoulder. “You look beautiful tonight.”

“Only tonight?” She quips. He doesn’t reply, instead continues his soft kisses up the side of her neck as his hands roam softly over her body, mapping her hips and the curve of her waist, her stomach and her breasts, fingers lingering on her collarbones as his lips linger beneath her ear. His hands move to the clips on the shoulders of her dress, and he unsnaps the right one.

“What are you doing?”

He kisses her neck again. “You’re beautiful,” he repeats, “I want to see all of you.” He unsnaps the left shoulder.

“Sweetie,” she breathes, as she lets him push her dress down and off, “I thought you were angry at me?”

“Consider this my apology,” he murmurs into the side of her neck, before spinning her in his arms and dropping to his knees before her.

“Doctor -” She is cut off by a gasp leaving her lips when the Doctor’s hot tongue slides between her folds. She moans, one hand flying to his hair, and the other flailing out to grip the balcony behind her for balance as she parts her legs and feels her knees weaken. The Doctor lifts one of her legs with a hand behind her knee, hooking it over his shoulder, and slides his tongue slowly over her again from her entrance to her clit.

River throws her head back and sighs out another moan, feeling herself grow hotter and wetter under his touch. Her hand grips the ledge of the balcony tighter and her heel digs into her husband’s back. It’s dark but she knows anybody in the palace grounds who happens to glance up at the balcony of the royal chambers will see them - well, they’ll see her bare back and head thrown back and probably guess what’s going on - and she cannot deny that the thought only intensifies her pleasure.

She feels his tongue trace around her clit and press against it before lapping at it quickly and firmly and her thighs shake with the white hot pleasure it sends shooting through her core. River looks down through hooded eyes to see him watching her from under his hair as he licks her and she sighs at the sight, carding trembling fingers through his thick locks before gripping and holding him against her as she tilts her hips, urging him lower down. He does not disappoint, gipping her backside firmly with both hands and driving his tongue inside her, his mouth open wide and nose nudging against her clit. River rocks her hips, grinding herself against him, and she feels him lap his way back up to her clit, and two of his fingers push inside her instead.

She curses out loud in latin, delighting in the way his fingertips caress her inner walls, curling back towards him like he is beckoning her to him, beckoning her to come for him. His lips close around her clit and he sucks, pushing his fingers deeper inside her right down to his knuckles, and River can feel her desire trickling out, coating his hand in her pleasure as her inner walls tighten and her abdominal muscles begin to shake.

“So close sweetie,” is all she can utter, begging him not to stop with the frantic movements of her hips and her hand so tight in his hair she knows she must be hurting him. Her back arches and she gasps when he presses his tongue hard against her clit and moves his head, and then she is coming hard, head thrown back as a cry of pleasure leaves her lips, followed by more colourful exclamations in Rome’s mother tongue as the Doctor holds her tight to him and works every ounce of pleasure there is to come from her.

River slumps back against the cold stone wall of the balcony, dropping her leg from his shoulder and bracing both hands behind her for balance as she pants hard, looking down at the Doctor through darkened eyes.

He presses a kiss to her hip before rising to his feet and leaning in for a proper one, mouth hot and urgent against her own, and River moans into the kiss, her hands going for his toga and untying it until she can yank it over his head, breaking the kiss. She turns in his arms, bracing her hands on the balcony edge and pushing her backside against him.

“Make good on that apology, husband,” she tells him, voice low with desire.The Doctor's hands caress her hips as he steps in close.

“You know anyone could see us up here.”

River snorts softly. “This is Rome sweetie - we have sex at parties for casual entertainment, you think I care if anyone sees me fucking my husband in my own chambers?”

The Doctor plants a hand on her back and pushes her suddenly forward, letting her feel the length of him slide over her. “You mean your husband fucking _you._ ” He punctuates his point with a thrust against her, making her moan.

_“My,_ darling,” she replies, but her voice is thick with lust, “Rome has had an influence on you.”

“More like you’ve had an influence on me,” he growls, using his foot between hers to spread her legs apart and then in one swift thrust he is buried inside her.

River moans, dropping her head forward, curls tumbling over her shoulders as she arches her back to let him deeper inside her. She leans her weight on her forearms, fingers gripping the very edge of the balcony wall and revels in the feel of the warm night breeze caressing her bare skin as heat burns inside her.

It is fast and inelegant, both of them wound up more than enough - River from her first orgasm and the Doctor from giving it to her and watching his wife come naked against the backdrop of her city - that within moments they are coming, the Doctor clutching at her hips and River the stone balcony ledge, both of them crying out their pleasure into the still italian night.

When they have stilled, the Doctor pulls out of her, but only going far enough to do so, wrapping his arms tightly round her waist and pulling her back against him in an embrace, breathing in the scent of her hair deeply as he lets out a content sigh.

After a long moment when their breathing has begun to return to normal, the Doctor sighs again and speaks softly. “You were protecting me.”

River nods, knowing instantly what he is referring to. “Yes, I was.”

“The only way you know how.”

“The only way I could, in the situation.”

He pauses before he says. “I’m sorry for the way I reacted.”

River sighs, resting her head back on his shoulder. “I forgive you. Always.”

He drops a kiss to her curls and they stay there a moment longer before River speaks again.

“We should probably move to bed.”

“It is getting a little chilly out here,” the Doctor agrees, and River chuckles, turning in his arms to press a kiss to his lips before taking his hand and leading him inside.Already naked, they curl up in bed together under cool soft sheets.

Despite her husband’s arms warm around her, River does not sleep much that night.

\--

She rises before the Doctor, and receives a messenger early when she calls Serra in for her breakfast.

The message is in a sealed envelope, addressed only to ‘Her Majesty the Empress’, and when she opens it she finds a single piece of folded parchment with just two sentences scrawled on it.  

_Don’t think you can getting rid of me that easily again. Looking forward to training this afternoon._

The letter isn’t signed but she doesn’t have to guess to know who it’s from. River scrunches the piece of paper up in her fist, breathing heavily through her nose.

Regulus is there as he’d promised to be, lined up with her army as usual when she walks out of her tent onto her training court that afternoon with dread in her stomach. She ignores him, trying hard not to even glance at him and spending the whole session waiting for him to make his move but surprisingly - it doesn’t come.

Feeling somewhat relieved, River is pulling her armour off in her tent after training when she hears somebody stepping inside and tenses.

“Get out.”

“Good afternoon to you too, mother.”

River whirls on him angrily. “Don’t call me that!” She spits.

“But why? It’s what you are, after all.”

“I am _not,”_ she growls, looking down at her wrist as she angrily unsnaps the buckles on her gauntlets.

“Oh but you are.”

“I told you you are dismissed from my army!” She snaps.

“And yet you made no move to remove me from this afternoon’s training session,” he taunts.

She points a finger at him. “I am _warning_ you,” she growls.

“I just want to talk, mother.”

“I am not your mother!”

“Yes, you are.”

River breathes angrily through her nose, glaring at him with narrowed eyes. “You have _no proof_ ,” she threatens through gritted teeth.

“Ahhh so it _is_ true,” he smirks.

“What? No! I just mean -”

“Why don’t we drop the pretense hm? You and I both know I’m telling the truth.”

“All I know is that you’re a delusional _psycho!”_

“Or maybe my daddy will back me up.” He smirks at River as her eyes widen and confusion flashes across her face. “He’s still alive, you know?”

She opens her mouth to speak but he continues, “I was just over there, actually… didn’t tell him who I was, don’t worry...yet. I have his eyes, don’t you think? Lovely scar down his face.” River’s own eyes widen. “I hear you gave him that. Must have been quite the _passionate_ affair.”

River can only stare at him in horror for a few seconds. “How the -” She has to pause to take a breath, “how the _hell_ … do you know who your father is?” She whispers.

He merely smirks at her, and River swallows.

“Nobody alive knows that. _Nobody.”_

“I do,” he says. “And you.” He waits a beat before he continues. “And now that we’ve stopped pretending perhaps we can finally talk. Mother to son.”

“I don’t want to talk to you,” River snaps, turning away. “I don’t want anything to do with you. Why do you think I left you all those years ago?”

“Oh - _ouch,”_ he says, but his tone is mocking. “Well don’t worry I don’t actually want anything to do with you either, mother dearest. I have no interest in the woman who abandoned me as a baby. Your throne, on the other hand…”

“Of course that’s what you’re after.”

“It’s mine, after all.”

“No - it’s mine.”

“You abdicated.”

“I came back.”

“I’m the rightful heir.”

“No,” she turns to face him with a laugh, “You’re illegitimate - you know what that makes you? Nothing. My son is the rightful heir - the one in his crib. And then my daughter still before you.”

“You son?” He laughs back. “Your son is the son of a slave. Do you know how much worth a slave holds? _Far_ less than an illegitimate child - of a royal. A slave is worthless and anyone with half a brain would side me with on that - you may as well have had a baby with an animal.”

She has him pressed up against the table with a sword to his throat so fast so fast Regulus hardly has time to blink.

“You ever talk about my husband that way again and I’ll slit your throat.”

“Why not just do it now?” He taunts.

River presses the sword against him harder. “Don’t tempt me.”

He brings his knee up so fast that the kick to her abdomen takes her by such surprise River is staggering backwards before she registers what’s happened, and Regulus has withdrawn his sword and used to to twist hers out of her grasp in the next second - but her reflexes are fast and she whips the knife from her boot quick as a flash and lunges at him with a yell of fury -

He catches her wrist, putting his sword to _her_ throat, and River is forced to freeze, glaring at him furiously as she breathes hard. “Where the hell did you learn those moves?” She growls.

Regulus merely smiles. “I want what’s mine,” he says. “You name me the rightful heir or I’ll tell all of Rome - and your precious husband - who I am myself. I’ll give you two days to decide.” He withdraws his sword and releases her wrist, stepping backwards as he cockily sheathes his sword. “Farewell mother.”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have never stated in the story how old River is now... but well basically i have a bad memory, i re-worked out ages and timelines when I was writing this one figuring it didn't matter to alter as i've never put it in the text but forgot i'd said it in comment replies before - so everything is going to be in the story and explained further along, but just for your information because i know some of you are wondering about certain things River is currently 36.


	14. Chapter 14

“River?”

“Hm?” She turns her head to glance at the Doctor from her place on the balcony as he steps outside. 

“What are you doing? It’s not even first light yet.” He says sleepily as he comes to stand next to her. 

She turns back to face the city. 

“I was just thinking.”

“About anything in particular?”

“No,” she says. 

He sighs. “What is it?”

“What? Nothing. I just… couldn’t sleep.”

“You’ve been distant all day - something’s bothering you.”

“Nothing’s bothering me Doctor I just have a lot on my mind,” she says, snapping a bit. “I am dragging a failing empire back to it’s former glory you know.”

“It’s not failing,” he frowns. 

“Not anymore, no. That doesn’t mean I’m not still working hard every minute to stop it from doing so.”

“I know you are.” He places a hand over hers. “You should try not to put so much pressure on yourself.”

She snorts. “I know you have no idea honey, but running an empire consists of nothing  _ but _ pressure.” She gives him a look. “I can handle it.” She turns back to face the city. “I just don’t want to fail it. Rome.”

“You won’t.”

“You have no idea what it took for me to build it up.” She leans forward on the balcony. “I did a lot to get here.”

“I know,” he replies. 

“You don’t though,” she says, shaking her head. “You don’t know the half of what I had to do to get here - and stay here. You’d probably never have loved me if you did,” she says sadly. 

“What? Of course I would, where has this come from? River… I have no illusions about who you were.  I  _ know  _ you. And I know that even at your darkest the great woman I see before me today existed.”

“Oh sweetie,” she sighs. 

“What?”

“Nothing,” she shakes her head. 

After a quiet moment she feels the Doctor wind an arm round her and tug her into his side, leaning in to press a lingering kiss by her ear. 

“You should try to relax,” he murmurs. “I can help, if you…” He lets himself trail off, hands wandering over her body and she turns to look at him, a smirk coming to her lips. 

“Ah so that’s why you followed me out here, you want a repeat of last night,” she teases. 

“It isn’t, but I can’t say I’d be opposed…”

“I’m sure,” she says, turning her head for a kiss but keeping it chaste, pushing him away gently.

“Go back to sleep sweetie. It’s late.”

“Or early,” he says, motioning to the horizon where the sun will start to appear in a couple of hours.

“Hm,” she comments.

He pauses. “Are you coming back inside? You should try and get some more sleep too.”

She shakes her head. “I will in a bit. You go,” she says, and offers him a smile when he slides a hand affectionately over her back before leaving her there alone. The smile drops from her face as she lets out a sigh, leaning down on her balcony. 

Regulus is a problem, and one she never needs the Doctor finding out about. He may think he’s aware of the extent of the darkness that used to consume her but she knows his picture of her barely scratches the surface. He believes in her and she needs that - now more than ever with being back on the throne giving her a sweet taste of the power she used to crave all those years ago that turned her into the person she was. If he finds out… he may stop believing, and if that happens, River doesn’t know where that will leave her.

She isn’t foolish enough to think that Regulus’s threats are idle, even though he is her blood - mostly  _ because _ he is her blood, she supposes. Meeting him has stirred something inside her, an uneasiness, and not just because of the trouble he could cause. She can see a darkness in his eyes that she recognises all too well, a hunger for power and a determination that suggests he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. She recognises it because it’s the same look she used to see every time she glanced in a mirror. 

The Doctor had changed her, for the better, and he’d told her over and over that he believed the good was always inside her - and River thinks that believing that herself is how she was able to change, and keep herself from getting sucked back into what she used to be for all these years but now, meeting Regulus… she isn’t so sure. He is everything she used to be… how can he be so like her old self if she’d only been turned into that by the way she’d been brought up? Maybe she truly was dark at the very core, her blood ran black through her veins, and Regulus, her son, with that same blood filling his was the very living proof of that. 

\--

River doesn’t get any more sleep that night and pushes her army hard in training the next morning. She spares Regulus not a single glance and is relieved when he leaves with the rest of the tired troops when she finally dismisses them. She hangs back, taking her sword to one of the training dummies set up in the court and slashing at it over and over until it is nothing but a pile of wood and straw in the sand and River is so exhausted her legs and arms tremble.  

She is thankful when the Doctor is nowhere to be seen when she drags herself back to her chambers, and dismisses Serra, collapsing in her bed and falling into an exhausted but fitful sleep for the rest of the afternoon. 

It is there the Doctor finds her later that day, when she is woken suddenly by Livia bouncing onto the bed next to her. 

“There you are!” The Doctor exclaims, striding into the room and sitting down next to her as she blearily pulls herself upright. “Told you you shouldn’t have stayed up half the night.”

“Ugh, shut up,” she mumbles, rubbing at her face before reaching her arms out for the baby in her husband’s grasp. 

“Good job I came and found you, we’ve a council meeting in a half hour,” he tells her as he passes their son over. 

“Lovely,” she sighs unenthusiastically as Livia settles on her other side, leaning her head against her mother’s arm as she reaches out to poke at the baby’s small cheeks. 

“Careful darling,” River chides. “Gently, that’s it. And what have you been up to today?”

“Oh,” she says, “I was overseeing my well being built.”

“ _ Overseeing _ , hm?” River smiles, sharing an amused smile with the Doctor. “And did you do a good job of it?”

“Oh, wonderful,” the Doctor says, “She’s born to give orders, that one,” he teases as he reaches across River to tickle Livia’s side. She laughs, batting him away. “Anyone would think she’s your daughter.”

River tenses. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Hm?”

“I - I wasn’t even born to be empress, what do you mean, you think I was always this way?”

“What? No, River, it was just a joke…” He looks at her strangely. 

“Right, sorry. I’m just tired.”

“Okay,” he says. “Well come on Livia maybe we should leave your mother to wake up properly or her poor council’s going to be in for it this afternoon.”

“Oi, watch it,” she warns as she passes the baby back over to him. 

“You know I love you,” he grins, leaning down to plant a kiss on her lips as he takes Rory. “Come on Livia. I’ll be back in half an hour,” he says, leaving River to get herself out of bed. 

\--

"You not enjoying yourself dear?" The Doctor asks, climbing the steps to her throne and handing a drink to her, taking a seat next to her with his own.

"No I am, I'm just thinking," she replies, glancing away from the party taking place in her hall to give him a smile.

"Hmm thinking again. What could it be that's got you so distracted lately? He leans across to her. "Should I be jealous?"

"Oh stop," She chuckles, swatting at him. 

"Well what is it then?"

She sighs. "It's nothing sweetie."

"A problem shared..."

_ Not in this case,  _ she thinks. "There is no problem," she snaps a bit. "I told you - I just have a lot on my mind will you leave it?"

He holds up his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine.”

She huffs and they sit in tense silence for a while, watching people drink and dance and enjoy themselves before them before River sighs, reaching over to place a hand on his arm. 

“I’m sorry,” she apologises. “I’m just… a little stressed at the moment.”

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” 

She shoves him, taking her hand back. “Cheeky.” 

He chuckles and lets a pause settle between them until he speaks again. "Do you want to dance?"

"Not really," she replies.

"Come on," he waggles his eyebrows at her, "You love dancing."

"That's you, sweetie."

"Oh. Well I'm sure you love it too. Everybody loves dancing!"

She shrugs. "Take it or leave it really."

"River," he whines.

"You go and dance - I'm not stopping you."

"Not on my own, I'll look silly!"

"You look silly anyway."

"Hey!"

She chuckles, and finds him pouting at her when she glances over.

"Dance with me," he says. "Remember that tavern in Gaul..."

"I'm the empress here honey," she shakes her head, "in that Tavern in Gaul I was just a nobody dancing on a table."

"There's tables in here."

"Are you mad?" She laughs.

"Yes," he grins.

She gazes at him a moment before she lets out a huff and gets to her feet, muttering "I must be too," holding out a hand to the Doctor.

He takes it, leaping to his own feet with a grin. "That's my girl!"

She pulls him to her briefly to murmur by his ear, "Call me your girl in public again and I'll snap your fingers off."

"So it's okay in private?" He flirts, unfazed.

She rolls her eyes, pushing him away with a smile she tries to hide. "Shut up."

"Yes your highness," he says cheekily, and gets her nails dug into his hand as she leads him across the hall.

They weave through the dancing crowd of Roman citizens, those who notice them stepping aside to let them pass with bows until they get to the long banquet table the feast had been served on earlier that night. 

The Doctor bounds up onto it very ungracefully, holding a hand out to River who takes it, lifting her dress to step carefully up onto a chair then the table beside her husband as the crowd around them hushes a bit, most turning to look at their empress in surprise. 

The Doctor pulls her to him and she gives a laugh, turning so her back is facing him as she begins to move her hips in time to the beat of the music.

"This is extremely un-regal," she murmurs to him over her shoulder.

"So it's acceptable for you to go to war and kill people and have sex at parties but dancing on a table? How scandalous."

"Oh shut up," she laughs. 

They dance there for a little while, River trying not to laugh at her husband’s ridiculous dance moves - why does she put up with him? Until a group of young women approach, bowing to their empress and hiding drunken giggles behind their hands as they compliment her on her gracefulness, and River rolls her eyes and beckons them up with a chuckle. Delighted, the group clamber up beside her, soon followed by more once the permission has been granted and pretty soon the banquet table is filled by dancing people, as are the buffet and drinks tables lining the hall.

"Oh look, we've started something." The Doctor grins by her ear. 

_ "You've _ started something - this was your idea," she accuses.

"It was yours in Gaul."

"You're still getting the blame if this table collapses," she laughs.

Sure enough, soon after she'd said the words a group of young men clamber up to squeeze onto the table and the long wooden structure finally gives out, letting out only one warning creak before giving way beneath them, crashing to the floor with the screams of the people atop it who tumble down ungracefully onto the marble floor.

Many rush to River’s side in alarm, pulling her up to her feet.

"Are you alright!?" The Doctor asks as he clambers up next to her.

"Yes fine," she laughs, brushing herself off and swatting away the hands of those who attempt to help her. "Your fault," she points at the Doctor accusingly, but her eyes are bright with laughter and he grins back at her.

"Worth it though?"

"Oh, definitely worth it," she laughs, glancing round as people climb to their feet amidst the chaos, groaning - until her eyes land on a blonde-haired man leaping up and his eyes find hers and lock on them. The laughter dies in her throat.

"River? What's wrong?"

"Oh - nothing," she says, looking away as Regulus smirks and bows mockingly to her. "Erm - I need some air."

"I'll come with you."

"No no I'm fine - stay here and make sure everyone's alright will you? I'm just going to step outside for a moment."

"Well... okay."

River gives him a fake smile before brushing past him and heading towards the doors, catching Regulus's eyes on the way and knowing he will be hot on her heels.

Sure enough, as she steps out of the hall onto the outside patio she hears footsteps behind her, followed by his low voice.

"Told him yet?"

"You said two days," River says stiffly.

"Yes I did. Sun dial’s moving, mother."

She whirls and has him pinned to the wall lining the patio with a knife pressed to his neck in a flash.

"Don't you dare call me that!"

_ Kill him _ , her mind says as he laughs in her face. _ End his life and your problem right now. _

"I could kill you right now," she says.

"And you don't think I have a little insurance policy in place in case you thought of that?"

She hesitates. "What?"

He smirks. "There's a man with a letter. And instructions to get that letter to your dear slave husband should anything... _ unfortunate _ happen to me."

Her hand tightens on the knife. "I'll find him."

"No you won't." He laughs. "Don't think it's the only letter in the palace either."

"You bastard," she swears.

" _ Your _ bastard, actually."

"I should have killed you the second you were born - I should never even have _ let _ you be born!"

"Yes, why _ did _ you have me?” He says. “I must admit it's something I have wondered over the years. You went to great lengths to get rid of me and keep me a secret - why not just do away with me before I was even born - I know there's ways - herbs, poisons - and for an empress it surely would have been easy to get hold of anything you needed..."

She tightens her jaw. "Yes well - my decision was clearly a mistake."

"Anyone could have told you that before you made it," he snorts.

"Look, I - I was young and stupid okay? What does it matter to you anyway, it happened the way it happened."

"Oh but it  _ does _ matter mother, and you were young yes but I find it hard believing you were  _ ever  _ stupid. Stupid people don't take the throne at fifteen years of age and start to run an empire."

She presses the knife into his skin, hard enough to hurt but not quite enough to draw blood. "No, stupid people try and blackmail the most powerful empress the world has ever seen." With a final dig of the knife, nicking the surface of his skin this time, she pulls away, concealing it back underneath her dress as she turns away from him. "Get out of my party."

"One day, mother," he calls after her as she walks away.

She doesn't see the shadow moving away from behind the pillar as she re-enters the party.

\--

“Your Highness?” Comes a knock on her chamber door. “Your council is waiting for you.”

“Leave me,” she snaps towards the door. 

There is a pause. “You ordered a meeting at noon your majesty…?”

“Cancel it.”

“But, your highness -”

“I said cancel it!” She yells in fury, picking up a book from the table she is seated at and hurling it at the door in a rage.

“Y-yes your majesty, apologies your majesty.” She hears the footsteps scuttle away and lets her head drop into her hands. 

_ Three moons.  _

Gods she’d been so foolish, how had she missed something like this? How had she let this happen?

Two years into her reign, the young empress had many plans the the future of her empire and herself, and having a child had  _ not  _ been one of them. It could tear all of it apart. Especially a child of  _ his,  _ which she wasn’t foolish enough not to know that’s what everyone would assume. 

She lets out a string of curses in latin, picking up the calendar she’d been looking at and hurling that at the wall as well, getting to her feet and kicking the chair over, upending the table and smashing a vase to pieces before she calms, breathing hard. 

She briefly considers throwing herself down the flight of marble stairs down the hall from her chambers but the consequences of that could be greater than she intends and River Song has absolutely no suicidal desires. 

She calls for a physician that afternoon, has one brought up from the city instead of using the resident one in the palace and when he confirms her worst fears she throws him off her balcony, calling for his broken body to be cleared away from her gardens and insisting he’d slipped and fallen in a tone that dares anyone to try and question it. 

It takes her a month to work up the courage to mix a tea from the herbs she’d ordered as soon as she’d found out. She’d killed the boy she’d sent to fetch them as well - loose ends were far too dangerous a thing to leave in a situation like this. She sits in her chambers, cup steaming in front of her and frowns at it, willing herself to drink it. She knows it’s consequences will be awful stomach pains that she’s heard in some cases can last for three days until the deed is done but it is not the pain she fears. 

The young empress stares at that cup of herbs and thinks of the other child that died inside her, thinks of laying in the middle of a battlefield in blood with agony ripping through her abdomen. She remembers feeling empty and anguished despite not having wanted the child and remembers waking up in a sweat almost every night for months after with that same empty feeling, unable to think of anything but blood. 

She hurls the cup at her wall and it smashes, the hot liquid rendered useless in a puddle on her marble floor. 

\--

After waking in a sweat with memories she’d tried to long bury fresh in her mind, River knows what she has to do. 

It is dark out; the moon is hidden by cloud and she is thankful of the cover as she moves silently through the grounds of her palace and out into the city, slipping into the army’s barracks and tiptoeing through the halls. 

The men are slumbering, and she makes sure of the fact that nobody is awake before picking her way across the floor and finally coming to stop before a pile of blankets, a head of curly blonde hair sticking out over the top. She pauses, looking down at him and taking a moment to work up her courage. 

“Wake up,” she nudges him with her boot, folding her arms when he blinks his eyes open and looks up at her with a bleary frown. “I have a deal for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anybody is still around and reads this and would like me to continue I would really appreciate your thoughts. I can only apologise for neglecting it for so long - I found myself unable to write and discouraged and sort of gave up... but lately I kept dreaming about it and thinking about it and now to be able to write again feels amazing. I literally missed them so much... I'm really hoping that there's at least a few of you out there who did too, and who will continue to support this story, I really do need your encouragement. <3


	15. Chapter 15

“So… I’ll inherit the throne.”

“Yes - but not as my son. Don’t you think you’ll get so much more admiration and respect if you’ve gained it by worthiness rather than blood?”

“My blood  _ makes _ me worthy,” Regulus frowns. 

“And why is my blood worthy?” River demands. “Because I  _ took _ what I wanted - I earned the throne. I didn’t have it handed to me by birthright. And I was all the more respected for it.”

“And feared.”

“Yes, that too,” she rolls her eyes from where she stands out in the cool night, arms folded as she watches Regulus pace in front of her. She waits patiently for him to think over her words. 

“You make a fair point.”

“I know I do. And you have what it takes. I wouldn’t offer you this deal if I didn’t think you had it in you to make a good ruler.”

“Of course I do - I’m your son.”

River wings an eyebrow. “Is that a compliment?”

“Merely a statement of fact.” He shrugs, giving her a grin. “You’re brilliant, I don’t deny that. But so am I.”

“And cocky,” she rolls her eyes. “Confidence is good but when it blinds you it can get you in trouble.”

He ignores her. “What do I get out of this? From my point of view, your way or mine I get the throne, mother dear.”

“Aside from what we’ve just been through about it being better for you to gain it this way?”

“Yes, aside from that.”

River huffs, rolling her eyes. 

“You get me. I am the greatest ruler this empire has ever seen - this way, you get me teaching you everything I know.”

“I don’t  _ need _ you teaching me!” He scoffs. 

“Oh really?” She says, narrowing her eyes at him. “An army is marching on the city," She says after a moment. "They’ve cut off all ways in and out, and your water supply. Three of your generals have been taken hostage. Your city and your people are panicking. What do you do?”

“I ride out!” He scoffs, like it’s simple. “Take an army out and annihilate them!”

“Your men are outnumbered three to one. They don’t want to follow you to their deaths, especially with their generals absent.”

“Well - I make them! I’m their emperor they will do as I say.”

“And your whole troop gets wiped out and probably you as well. Great job.”

“Fine, I’ll launch those - those rock throwing things at the bastards. One of those gets about twenty in one shot right? Wipe out a good number of them and then we fight.”

River wings an eyebrow at him. “Catapults?”

“Yes - those. Didn’t you make some that threw fire years ago?”

“Yes, I did, but those won’t help you now,” she rolls her eyes at him. “You hesitated for too long and they’re at your city gates.”

“Well - what would you bloody do then?” He says, annoyed. 

“Simple. Go underground.”

“Underground?”

“The passes that lead out of the city. I take my army and attack from behind. They’re so focused on the archers I’ve lined along the city walls we’ve killed half of them before they even look round. Of course - I would never have let them get as far as my city in the first place, my scouts and spies would be able to tell me they were planning an attack before they’d even decided to do it.”

“Well if I’d  _ known _ about the underground passes I would have done the same! And the spies!” He exclaims, irritated. 

“Ah - but you didn’t.” She smirks at him. “You don’t know half this city’s secrets - and you want to rule over it?” She laughs. “You wouldn’t last two days without my help. Neither would Rome.”

Regulus lets out a huff and folds his arms, glaring at her. River stares him down.

“How do I know you’re really going to leave?” He says after a moment. “You could just be stringing me along to keep me quiet.”

River rolls her eyes. “I’ve made it no secret that I’m not here to stay - I returned only to help the city get back on its feet - ask anyone on my council if you don’t believe me.”

“When?”

“Whenever you like. They’re meeting this afternoon.”

“No -  _ when _ are you going to leave?” He demands. 

“When the city is ready. When  _ you _ are ready.”

“And when will that be?”

“Well… that will depend mostly on you.”

He frowns at her for another moment, unruly blonde hair falling into his eyes in a way that reminds River sharply of her own when she was younger before she learnt how to tame her wild curls. She swallows, clearing her throat. 

“Well?”

Regulus lets out another huff, dropping his head back and shaking it as he looks up at the sky. 

“ _ Fine _ .” He agrees heavily. “You can train me.”

“So you agree?”

“Yes, yes. I agree.”

River pastes on a smile. “Excellent.” She says, and lets the smile drop again. “But I swear Regulus, if my husband finds out about you - if he finds out who you are, you’ll have nothing left to threaten me with and I  _ will  _ kill you. That is a promise.”

“Yes, fine, fine,” he waves a hand at her. “As long as I have your word that you’ll make me emperor.”

River pauses before giving a tense nod and holding out her hand. “Yes, you have my word.”

Regulus eyes it for a moment before stepping forward and clasping it in his own. “Well then,” he says, “I look forward to learning everything you know.”

\--

“ _ General?” _

“Yes,” River says. 

“ _ Regulus _ \- a  _ general? _ ” The Doctor repeats. 

“ _ Yes _ .”

“You hate him!”

“He’s smart, Doctor. And you know he’s probably the best fighter I have.”

“Yeah - and just the other night you were saying he was too arrogant for his own good - how’s making him a general going to help that!?”

She shifts, avoiding his eyes. “I changed my mind,” she says. “I think the responsibility will do him good.”

The Doctor eyes her suspiciously. “You hate him,” he repeats. 

“I don’t hate him… I just… see a lot of myself in him. Maybe I was a little threatened,” she says grudgingly. 

“Threatened!? He’s a kid.”

“He’s nearly twenty,” she rolls her eyes. “I’d been ruling the empire for four years at his age.”

“Well not everyone is like you, dear.”

_ No, but he is,  _ she thinks, but instead lets out a huff. “Why do you care? It’s my army.”

“I don’t,” he holds up his hands. “You decisions just… baffle me sometimes.”

“Well sweetie,” she says. “The day I can’t baffle my husband is the day I go to my grave.” She gives him a wink and a grin as she slides past him, squeezing his behind for good measure and laughing as he shouts out after her. 

\--

Later that evening, the Doctor sits in their chambers, writing out statistics he’d collected from the city today on a scroll. It is a boring task, but one that keeps his mind occupied. It hadn’t been a good day. That morning the well they had been building in the center of the city had caved in, killing one of the workers, and while everyone had assured the Doctor it had been a mere accident, he is certain if he’d just paid closer attention to the plans he could have prevented it happening - if he’d overseen it more closely instead of just - well - he’d basically handed the plans his six year old daughter drew up to a builder and hoped it would get done. 

He’d been distracted the last few days. Something was bothering his wife and she wouldn’t tell him what it was. They didn’t keep things from each other - that wasn’t what they did. He has no idea what’s going on in her head at the moment and that puts him back in a position he’d been in eight years ago. When River had been empress before and everything about her was an enigma to him. He understands that she’s got stresses and worries now she’s running the empire again but why will she not share them? He worries that unintentionally leaving her for six weeks and missing the birth of his son has done more damage than he’d initially realised. 

The afternoon didn’t get much better - River had brought them all along to watch a chariot race in the city, brushing off the Doctor’s worries that at best it could give their daughter - who was currently obsessed with horses and chariots - fantasies of racing herself, and at worst, put her off something she loved completely should there be any accidents. A very excited Livia was bouncing in her seat between her parents up in the royal box in the stands and loving every moment until sure enough, disaster had struck. Two of the chariots had collided in a devastating accident. Both men had been killed, two of the horse put down on the spot and the ten others involved badly injured. One of the men involved who escaped with his life had got out and stabbed another who’d crashed into him in the pile up, who had retaliated by cutting his hand clean off and lashing at him with his driving whip until six guards had pulled them apart. There had been blood, so much blood and violence and the crowd had gone wild, and River too when he’d looked to her in horror had been watching the scene with eyes bright with excitement. 

Livia had cried, he’d been furious and he and River had fought. Something else that’s been happening a lot since they’ve moved back. It’s not like they never disagreed in the eight years they were away, it just didn’t happen that often, and when it did it usually wasn’t over anything important. He supposes, on comparison, who’s turn it was to wash the dishes didn’t really measure up as that major an issue next to River condoning Rome’s bloodthirsty, violent sports while he strongly opposed them. 

“You’re still here,” River says, entering their chambers. “Aren’t you getting ready?”

“Ready for what?”

“I told you,” she rolls her eyes irritably as she tosses her cloak down onto the table. “There’s a feast tonight. To honour the winner of the race.”

“Right,” he says, “That’s an impressive victory since all the other competitors are either dead or in hospital.”

She lets out a huff. “I’m going to get changed,” she says as she leaves the room. Frowning, he goes back to his papers. 

He hadn’t been intending to go, but when evening starts to creep into early night, his stomach lets out a growl and he puts down his quill, sighing. He’d dismissed Serra for the evening and he didn’t really feel like going begging in the kitchens for dinner - he’s certain they were busy enough that night without having to cater to the empress’s husband separately as well - and so he gives in, changing into a toga more suitable and making his way downstairs. 

River is not at the main table when he arrives, already circulating the room, the main feast over, it seems, although the food that litters the room is aplenty. He takes a seat next to her chair at the head of the great table, helping himself to some food and thanking the slave boy who hurries over to fill a goblet with wine for him. Some offer him polite nods of their heads, but not many greet him or try to talk and he is fine with that, content to eat in peace and take what’s going on around him; it never hurts to be aware of what transpires between whom in a place like Rome. 

“Bloody hell she is gorgeous,” a drunken man the Doctor recognises from River’s council exclaims as he plonks himself down in the seat next to him after he has finished his meal and sits quietly by himself. The man is one of the few who don’t appear to hold any contempt towards the Doctor, who has accepted him as part of the council as easily as any other man, and he glances round at him, offering a smile. 

“Evening to you too,” he says politely, smelling the strong scent of wine. “Who’s gorgeous?”

“The empress, who else?” He says, rolling his eyes and taking a gulp from his goblet of wine. “I mean she is just… well done mate.” Another gulp and the Doctor chuckles. 

“Thanks, I think.”

“Neptune’s penis - her  _ body _ , I mean, she’s beautiful but… it’s unreal.”

“Slightly rude but okay...”

The man - the Doctor cannot recall his name - claps the Doctor on the back. “Seriously. Well done. You know every man in this room wishes he could have what you’ve got. And half the women.”

“Oh,” he chuckles again, surprised. “I mean - I know River is -”

“I mean it - anybody would bloody leap at the chance to roll in the sheets with her but -”

“Okay maybe that’s enough talk about my wife now -”

“But  _ you,”  _ he blunders drunkenly on, ignoring the Doctor’s protests. “You brave son of a bitch, you actually  _ married  _ her! I mean…  _ Jupiter.  _ You must have some balls mate.”

The Doctor laughs, taking an awkward swig from his own cup, and the man claps him on the back again, clearly harder than he’d intended to, making him cough a bit. 

“She terrifies everyone in this room, grown men and the lot. Most of her bloody army quake in their boots when she walks out in front of them you know? But  _ you _ …” He eyes the Doctor, swaying in his seat slightly. “You’re the only one not scared of her. Look at you!” He picks up an arm. “There’s nothing of you! How come she terrifies everyone alive except you?”

Retrieving his arm back, the Doctor rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. “I suppose because…” He watches River across the room as she meanders through her subjects, greeting some and stopping to laugh with others, her eyes bright and cheeks flushed as she waves off the bows. A small smile comes to the Doctor’s lips and he lets out a brief sigh. “Because I love her,” he says simply. 

“Bloody hell, it’s even worse than I thought,” the drunken man exclaims, reaching out for the Doctor’s hand. “Congratulations,” he says, giving it a firm shake before leaning in. “What’s she like?”

“River?” His forehead crinkles as he thinks a moment. “I mean, she’s… she’s not as heartless as she’d have everyone believe. And she can be quite funny -”

“No, no I don’t mean  _ that _ , I mean - what’s she like in the sack?” The Doctor’s eyes go wide as he continues; “Like shagging a bloody box of dynamite I imagine -”

“Okay! And that’s enough conversation now, thank you, good night,” The Doctor says, giving the man’s hand another firm shake before dropping it, getting to his feet and hurrying away from the table and the man’s drunken disappointed exclamations, shaking his head.  

“Hey,” River greets him, turning from the group she'd been conversing with to face him, sounding surprised as he steps up next to her with a gentle hand on the small of her back. 

"Hey," he replies, "Talking about me?"

"Don't flatter yourself," she rolls her eyes but there is a teasing smile on her lips.

"That's disappointing - I was talking about you."

"Really?" She raises an eyebrow, "With who?"

"Oh with, um," he waves his hand at the table and she glances over.

"Aurelius?" 

He snaps his fingers. "That's his name. Thanks."

"And what might you have been saying? Good things, I hope."

"Well, he was doing most of the talking to be fair." The Doctor leans in, lowering his voice. "Apparently all the men and half the women in this room want to sleep with you."

River arches an eyebrow. "Darling I could have told you that."

He laughs, surprised. "Were you always this conceited?" He teases, with an edge of truth.

She simply rolls her eyes. "I'm the empress. Most of this room would want to sleep with me no matter who I was aside from that. Power is the currency here, Doctor. And sex is often the way it's dealt." She says, matter of factly. "Of course, it helps that I look like this too." She gives him a smirk and a wink.

"More than helps, I’d say," he replies, rolling his eyes.

River steps into him, letting her fingers walk up his toga as she gives him a look up under her lashes. "Does it help you?"

"I..." he stammers, distracted by her body pressed to his. "Huh?"

She laughs. "I'll take that as a yes." River leans up on her tiptoes for a kiss he accepts readily, winding his arms round her as her tongue flicks over the inside of his teeth and makes him groan into her mouth. When she pulls back she is eyeing him a little warily.

"What's wrong?"

She bites her lip. "You were very angry at me earlier."

He sighs. "Yes I was."

"We keep doing that, don't we?"

"Kissing?"

"Being angry with each other."

"Oh." He looks down into her eyes, then pulls her in close. "Yes," he says, "But also kissing..." 

“How much wine have you had?” She smirks against his lips. 

“Just enough to remember that I love you. And that I’m the luckiest man in this room. Although you have good old Aurelius to thank for that bit.”

She laughs and kisses him again, winding her arms up round his neck as he slides his hands over her sides. 

“Let me know when you get tired of this party,” he mutters, a little hoarse when they part again. 

“I’m tired of this party.”

“Well then,” he grins, “Perhaps we can find… something else to do instead?”

“Hmm, what do you have in mind?”

“I’m not certain yet but I’m pretty sure our bed’s going to be involved,” he flirts, tapping her on the nose with a finger.

“And it better not be for sleeping,” she fires back. 

“Most definitely not. Until later, when I’ve worn you out that is,” he grins and she mock-gasps. 

“Worn me out!? We’ll see who’s doing the wearing out tonight sweetie.”

“Can’t wait.”   


She kisses him again, briefly this time but not without pulling his lip between her teeth sharply as she pulls back, making him gasp. “So let’s go.”

He hurries to follow her as she spins and marches quickly off, and they leave the party hand in hand, the empress nodding goodnight to her guests as they go. 

\--

"Can I ask you something?"

"Hm, anything," River mumbles sleepily. It is much later, and they have decided to call it even and admit that they are  _ both _ worn out, curling up together under the sheets to get some rest. 

The Doctor absently fiddles with one of her curls. "Why me?"

“Why you what?”

“Why… why did you pick me? You could have anyone you wanted -  _ literally _ , anyone. Why me?”

River chuckles softly. “I didn’t  _ pick you _ , honey. I fell for you. It wasn’t something I decided to do - in fact I’d decided to do the opposite of ever falling for anyone when I was very young. It just happened.”

“And… you don’t ever wish that you hadn’t?”

“Many times,” she snorts. 

“I don’t mean at the beginning I mean… now.”

“No,” she says, lifting her head to look down at him with a soft smile. “I don’t wish that anymore.”

“Not that it had been anyone else? Somebody… I don’t know -  _ more _ . Somebody with power, a status - someone who could match you in strength even -”

“ _ No _ .” She says firmly, brushing fingers through his hair. “Nobody but you, sweetie. There is nobody _more_. Besides,” she drops her head back down. “I would have been dreadfully bored of anyone else by now. Nobody can…” She gives him a look, “ _ entertain _ me quite like you do.”

He grins, before he thinks a moment. “Wait - are you saying that because you think I’m clever, or - or because you like to laugh at me - because don’t think I haven’t noticed -”

“Oh sweetie,” she chuckles. “You’re the cleverest man I’ve ever met.” 

He smiles, relaxing. 

“And you can be so utterly  _ clueless _ sometimes it’s positively hilarious.”

“Oi! I take offense at that,” he pouts as she laughs at him. 

“Aw, honey,” she chuckles, and leans up on her elbow, dropping her voice as her other hand snakes down his body. “Let me make it up to you.”

“Thought you were tired?”

“Thought  _ you _ were tired,” she smirks as her hand finds its goal and gives it a squeeze, proving that he is _ very much _ awake. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being so kind and supportive to my coming back to this story after such a long break! I was honestly overwhelmed, I had thought I would be lucky if maybe two or three people left me comments to say they were still reading since it's been such a long time. Thank you all so much! And for those of you who didn't comment but left kudos or even just read it - thank you! I hope you will all continue to stay with me and enjoy this story. It is extremely close to my heart.  
> <3


	16. Chapter 16

 

The first light of the morning has just begun to spill into the royal bedchamber, a gentle warm morning breeze lifting the edge of the net curtains that hang by the large floor-to-ceiling open windows. Both the empress and her husband are slumbering peacefully in the large bed in the middle of the room.

"Your highness? Your grace?" Comes a tentative knock on their bedchamber door, breaking the morning silence. Another soft knock. "I'm...sorry to disturb you your majesties it's just - general Atitilus is here for your meeting..."

Blinking his eyes open blearily, the Doctor sits up in bed. "Thank you Serra," he calls out. "Show him in, we'll be out in a moment." He swings his legs over the side of the bed, yawning. "River?" He pats the lump of blankets next to him. They groan.

"River we have a meeting. Your generals are here already."

"Ugh," she groans, "I hate these dawn meetings."

"Well you're the one who called it," he chuckles. "Come on, up you get."

She groans again. "Start without me," comes the mumble from beneath the sheets. 

"You're the empress dear, we can't start without you."

"Well I make you empress for the morning then."

" _ River _ ," he rolls his eyes, nudging at her as he fastens his toga.

"Go away!" She grumbles. "I'll be out in a moment."

"Fine, fine. If you don't appear in five minutes I'm sending Livia in to wake you. And the baby." She groans again, and the Doctor pads out of his chambers, shaking his head in amusement - only to stop short in the doorway, eyes bulging. Sucking in a gasp of surprise he ducks back behind the door.

_ Serra and Atilius!? _

Unable to help himself, he peeks around the doorframe at the scene again, just in time to see River's general brush Serra hair aside as he continues their deep kiss. 

"Sweetie? What you doing?" Comes a sleepy mumble from the bed and he jumps back, brushing a hand through his hair. 

"Nothing!"

"What is it?"

He opens his mouth with a grin to tell her what he'd seen when he stops short. "Uhh..."

"Oh for goodness sake," she huffs, rolling her eyes as she flings the covers aside and swings her legs out of bed. "Fine, I'm coming. They're not going to eat you just because I’m not there darling. I thought you liked Atilius anyway." She mutters as she pulls a dress over her head and gets to her feet.

Yes, he does. He does like Atilius, and he likes Serra, and as much as it startles him to realise it, he isn’t certain how his wife will react to their… liaison.

“Sweetie? Are you coming?”

“Yes,” he nods, “Oh, wait!”

“What?” She turns by the threshold. 

“Forgot my sandals,” he says, as loudly as he can, barking out a laugh too in order to warn the pair in the other part of the chambers of their approach. “If I get cold feet first thing they’re cold all day!” He waves the sandals at her with a grin as River peers at him. 

“How did I ever marry you,” She grumbles after a moment, and turns and pads out of her bedchamber barefoot, brushing a hand through her unruly curls. 

The Doctor follows her, relieved to see Serra and Atilius now on opposite sides of the room, and takes a seat next to River at their table. 

Breads, meats and fruit are already laid out in the middle despite the early hour, along with plates, goblets and a couple of jugs of wine and juices. River reaches for a piece of bread, picking up a knife and layering butter on it, motioning for Serra to fill her cup as she lets out a yawn. 

“Thank you,” The Doctor says, when she fills his cup too. “You’ve got everything here already! Aren’t you wonderful,” he smiles at her and glances over at River. “Wasn’t that good of her dear?”

“What?” River says, distracted. “It’s her job?”

“Yes but I’m just saying -”

“Sit please, Atilius. Help yourself to some food; the others should be with us any moment.”

Serra gives him a grateful smile as she sets down the jug and backs away, the Doctor smiles back and nods his head at her and doesn’t miss the small smile she shoots at Atilius. He likes her, and he makes the decision to keep quiet about what he’d seen. After all, it’s not his business or his secret to tell.

A knock on the door comes shortly after they’ve sat down and River’s other general, Stylax, enters and joins them at the table. 

“First order of business,” River says, seemingly awake now as she shuffles with pieces of parchment in front of her and hands out lists to her generals. She takes a drink from her cup and slams it down on the table. “Uniforms. I have noticed some of the men wearing theirs incomplete or incorrectly. It is unacceptable and it’s your job as generals to make sure it doesn’t happen. I don’t ever want to see a man without his armour so polished I can see my face in it again do you understand?”

They mumble ‘yes, your highness’es and River nods. 

“Good. Secondly: I have appointed a new general. Regulus Maximus. I’m putting him in charge of the second auxiliary. He's joining us here this morning."

Atilius looks around. "Where... is he then, your highness?"

"Good question," River mutters, and the Doctor rolls his eyes.

She gets a little further down the list in front of her before her chamber door bursts open again with no warning, and in strolls Regulus. 

"You're late," River snaps. 

"Sorry," he says, not sounding it at all as he strolls over to the table and plonks himself down in a chair, immediately reaching for a piece of bread from the middle. "Not much of a morning person. Got anything to drink?" He asks, looking around before he spots Serra hovering near by and motions her over. 

River snatches the piece of bread from his hands and places an arm out to stop Serra from pouring some wine into his goblet. 

"Hey!" He protests. 

"This is not a breakfast event!" She slams the bread down on the table, picking up a piece of parchment and throwing it at him. 

“Well you’ve all eaten!” He motions to the empty plates in front of the other four at the table and River scowls at him. 

“And if you’d bothered to arrive on time you could have done too! This is not a good start, Regulus - don’t make me regret my decision to promote you,” she snaps. 

“Oh it’s not a good start is it? Well maybe I could think of some… information that could make it a  _ very _ interesting start - it would certainly liven up this meeting -”

River slams a hand down hard on the table, making all other occupants of the room jump. “And  _ maybe  _ your head on a plate in the middle of the table would liven it up too!”

He falls silent, and they stare each other down for a moment, the Doctor looking between their matching expressions of fury - what information is Regulus alluding to? What makes him dare to speak to River that way - not many have done so and lived to tell the tale and he prepares himself step in should any weapons be drawn - and judging by the look on his wife’s face that doesn’t seem all that unlikely -

Thankfully, Regulus backs down, averting his gaze and letting out a huff and a ‘whatever,’ and the Doctor, along with the others in the room he notes, breathes a sigh of relief. 

He clears his throat. “I suggest you apologise.” He addresses Regulus. 

The man glares at him a moment before he relents. “I’m terribly sorry,” he says, not sounding it at all. 

The Doctor’s curiosity gets the better of him. “And what was this information you wanted to share?”

“Leave it Doctor,” River immediately snaps. 

His interest is piqued at River’s sharp input. “River… do you know what he’s talking about?”

He watches Regulus lean back in his chair with a smirk and arms folded and River shift in her own seat. 

“It’s nothing sweetie,” she says. “Shall we move on?”

“No - no I think I’d like to hear what Regulus has to say actually.”

The young man looks between he and River before sitting up again, waving a hand. “It’s nothing, like her highness said,” he says. “Idle gossip.”

“About?” He presses. 

“Doctor will you just leave it?”

“About…”

“Doctor - Regulus - I think we’ve wasted enough time don’t you?”

He holds up a hand at River’s insistence, eyes intent on Regulus, now knowing there is something to be said. 

The man glances between them once again before shrugging. 

“I just… thought it might be interesting to know that I saw her majesty kissing one of the gladiators at the party the other night.”

He blinks, looking to River who looks surprised but catches his eyes and shrugs. He frowns. 

“Why would that be interesting?”

The smirk falls from Regulus’s face a little at that. “Why not?”

“I trust my wife,” the Doctor answers instantly. To be honest, it stung a bit but he wasn’t going to let the big-headed soldier know he’d affected he or River. 

“Now if you’ve had your fun Regulus,” River says, “Perhaps we can continue with the meeting you so rudely interrupted. And I don’t want to hear another word out of you.”

The Doctor sighs, wondering if she was regretting promoting the big-headed soldier. He’d have to corner her later about the gladiator.

\--

The shadow follows Regulus down the hall as he strides brazenly towards the empress’s chambers, on time for their first private meeting. He whistles as he goes, evidently not noticing the figure slip across the corridor behind him and behind one of the statues that line the wall -

River leaps out of the shadows and pins him to the wall, knife at his neck and smirk on her face as he splutters, alarmed. “Lesson one: always be prepared,” she says, releasing him. 

“For a woman to leap out of the shadows at me!?” He exclaims, obviously shaken, as he brushes himself off crossly. 

“For assassins,” she rolls her eyes like it’s obvious. 

“Why would anyone want to assassinate me?” He laughs, hurrying after her to fall into step beside her as she strides down the hallway.

“Not now, obviously, When you’re the emperor.”

“Yeah but - like anyone would  _ dare _ . And anyway - I’ll be  _ chosen by you _ , or whatever, nobody would want to oppose me; everybody adores you now.”

“Three.”

“Three?”

“Assassination attempts.”

“When - what, when you were on the throne before?”

“No, no. Now.”

“Since you’ve been back?” He says in surprise. 

“This week,” she turns to glance at him just in time to see his jaw fall open.

She strides into her chambers, waiting for him to collect himself and hurry after her before she closes the door behind them. 

“Gonna let me eat this time?” He says as he saunters inside. 

“Oh yeah, about this morning,” River says as she moves to stand in front of him. 

“What about it?”

She slaps him. 

“ _ Ow!” _

“Thanks for that, by the way.”

“You’re welcome!” He exclaims, clutching his face. “I did bail you out of a tricky situation, nice to see what I get in return!”

“It wouldn’t have  _ been _ a tricky situation if you hadn’t made it one!” She shouts. 

“Jupiter’s balls,” he mumbles, rubbing his cheek. 

“Watch your tongue,” she points a finger at him. “I don’t know who raised you but she clearly didn’t teach you any damn manners!”

“She was a lot like you actually,” he mumbles. 

“What?”

“Nothing,” he sighs. “I won’t say anything to upset your precious pet husband again, alright?”

River points at a chair. “Sit.”

He does so, taking a seat at the table with parchments strewn across it. “What’s all this?”

“Tax reports.”

“What?” He groans, “Can’t I learn something interesting like battle tactics, or - or conquering cities?”

“You want to sit on this throne, you need to learn how to run this empire. Ruling is about responsibility before conquering. I’m not leaving the city to go to pot again.”

Regulus rolls his eyes. “In case you’ve forgotten,  _ mother _ , I’m not that idiot who sat on the throne before - I’m  _ your son _ . It’s simple. I’ll pick it all up.”

“ _ You’re _ simple if you think you can run an entire empire by  _ picking it up as you go.  _ And  _ don’t _ call me mother!” She says furiously. 

“Then what do I call you?”

“Your highness,” she snaps. 

“Are you going to call me your highness when I’m emperor?” He snarks. 

“I won’t be here.”

“Right, you’re going to run off again. Where is that’s so much better than the greatest city in the world?” 

“Haven’t decided yet,” she folds her arms. “I hear Arabia is nice. Then perhaps right up north if that’s too hot.”

“So that’s what you did then, is it?” Regulus leans back in his chair, folding his arms too.

“What?”

“In the eight years, that you left this empire to rot. You travelled the world, going wherever you felt like on whatever whim you had?”

River shifts in her seat, frowning. She ignores the first part, uncomfortable. “Mostly, yes.”

“Forgive me,  _ your highness _ , but that doesn’t sound very much like the _ responsibility _ you want to teach me.”

She opens her mouth to fire a response back but no words come out. She closes it after a moment, and looks down, clearing her throat. 

“I made a mistake. I admit that,” she says quietly. 

“You regret giving all this up before then?”

“I don’t…  _ regret _ , as such, I just - wish things had been different.”

He rolls his eyes. “That’s why I’m never falling in love. Nothing will get in the way of what I want.”

River lets a small smile graced her lips. “Funny,” she says as she opens a ledger, “I used to say exactly the same thing.”

\--

“So,” Regulus says after an hour or so, tossing his quill down onto his scroll and stretching. “Now that we’re on speaking terms.”

“Are we?”

“I’ve always wondered what it’s like?”   
“What what’s like?” River drawls, scratching away on her own piece of parchment, focused on the city’s month’s tax reports. 

“You know - this. Running an empire. I mean - not so much now - back when you were feared by every other nation.”

“Every other nation still fears me if they know what’s good for them,” she quips. 

“Yeah but,” he snorts, “Why would they? You left for eight years and since you’ve been back all you’ve done is feed the poor and build more houses.”

She rolls her eyes, ignoring him. 

“I wanna know what… what it was like back when you were at the peak of your rule. To have that much power - to have that many people obey you - that’s gotta be amazing…”

River glances over at Regulus and feels uneasy at the once again, too-familiar glint in his eye. She sets down her pen and folds her hands on the table. “When you become that hungry for power, it eats up every other aspect of your life. Nothing is enough. No matter how much you get, it’s never enough. You live feeling constantly unsatisfied.”

Regulus frowns, that having obviously not been the answer he’d been expecting. 

“Yeah but… you rule an empire! You commanded - what was it, twenty thousand men?”

“Twenty-two, at the peak.”

“How can you be unsatisfied when you have all that at your fingertips!”

She shrugs. “Because it’s never enough.”

He waves a hand. “Then I’ll just conquer more.”

River drops her head into her hand.

“Like you did - I’ll march in and claim new lands for my own! I’ve heard some impressive tales you know.”

“Regulus,” she mumbles.

“Stories of how you fought and how you won - the attack you led on Thrace. That was  _ amazing _ .”

River lifts her head and shifts in her seat at the admiration in his eyes. “Not one of my best stories.”

“What?” He laughs, “Are you joking? You conquered an entire city in an hour. An  _ hour! _ I heard you marched right up to the emperor and shoved your sword into his heart while he begged for mercy in front of his entire kingdom. I heard you cut it out of his chest and held it up for all to see, daring anyone who defied your rule to come forward. I heard that some of his army even  _ wet themselves _ as they watched -”

“ _ Enough!” _ River slams a hand down on the table, cutting off his laughter. 

“What’s the problem? You were incredible!”

“I’m not…” River squeezes her eyes shut. “I’m not the person who did those things.”

Regulus snorts. “Yes you are. Or you were, before you went soft and ran off with your slave,” he rolls his eyes.

“Shut your mouth,” River threatens.

“Just telling it like it is.”

“Like it is? You think you know what it was like - you think you know everything from some  _ stories?  _ You want to know how it really is? What that kind of power does to someone?”

“Makes them a damn great ruler,” Regulus says, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms. 

River takes a deep breath, drawing up memories she had long since buried. “I threw a party in the city I had just conquered that same night. My men danced on the rubble of the buildings we had torn down. They burned their way through the town at my permission, taking what they wanted, from who they wanted. I fucked the emperor’s son - he was barely a man and distraught after his father’s death - desperate to do anything to appease the woman who’d taken over his city. Then I killed him. For no reason, other than I could. Just to see the life leave his eyes and know it had done so because I willed it. I hung his naked body from the city gates and rode out past it the next day already planning my next conquest because nothing was  _ ever _ enough.”

She glances over at Regulus and sees him shift in his seat. “That’s war,” he says, though obviously a little uncomfortable.

River shakes her head sadly. “That’s destruction.”

He frowns. “Bet it feels good though.”

“But that’s where you’re wrong, Regulus.” She says, shaking her head again. “It doesn’t feel good. It doesn’t feel like anything. It just feels empty.”

\--

With Regulus dismissed with (hopefully) enough work to keep him out of trouble for the next couple of days, River tidies away the parchments and ledgers strewn across her table and calls for Serra, trying to shove the memories he had forced her to drag up back to the back of her mind.    
What she’d said to him hadn’t been entirely true. She had caused a great sense of emptiness in her life back then, a sense of nothing ever being  _ enough _ but it was something she hadn’t recognised at the time. River had believed she’d been happy. She’d  _ loved it _ . The thrill of conquering a city, annihilating an enemy, making more and more of the world bow down to her - she had loved every second. But she knows now that she had been a terrible force in this world and Rome did not need another one. She would do everything in her power to educate Regulus - to make him see the right way, and she wouldn’t leave him on the throne until she’d done so. 

The door to her chambers opens and closes. “Ah Serra. My lunch please,” She says without turning her head. 

Two arms wrap around her waist from behind and she jumps slightly. “Not Serra,” her husband mumbles, pressing a kiss to her neck. 

She smiles, turning her head to peck his lips. “Good morning?”

“Alright,” he replies, releasing her. “You? How was your session with Regulus? Whipping him into shape?”

“It was good,” she nods. “He just left actually.”

“Tax reports?” The Doctor reaches round her to pick up a piece of parchment. “What’s this got to do with the army?”

“Nothing,” River snatches it back from him. “I just… wanted to test him. I’ve noticed he’s good with figures, thought he could be useful being in charge of certain things. Army expenses and the likes.”

“So why were you looking at tax reports?”

“I just said,” River huffs, dumping all the parchments in their appropriate box in her cabinet. “I was just testing him out.”

“But - aren’t these meant to be confidential? I thought only members of your council got to know this sort of information?”

“So?” She says. “I’m the empress,” she pushes past him. “I can do what I want.” 

“But River -”

“But Doctor,” She spins, winding her arms up round his neck. He falters, caught off guard at her body suddenly pressed to his when he hadn’t been expecting it and she smirks. “You know what I think?”

“Hm? What?”

“I think… my army can manage without me for one afternoon.” She leans in to press her lips to his neck and he clears his throat. 

“Er… good?”

“That means… I have the whole afternoon free.”

“Oh. Oh!” He catches on, sliding his arms round her and leaning in for a kiss. 

She presses her lips to his, pulling back a little to murmur against his mouth; “A whole afternoon to spend in bed…”

They are interrupted by a knock and the door opening for Serra to step inside with a bow. 

“Actually,” the Doctor says, grinning suddenly as an idea strikes him, stepping back from River. “Serra,” he addresses her, “Could you please get lunch for my wife and I wrapped up. We’re going to be spending it outside the city.”

\--

River laughs as she urges her horse on faster to pass the Doctor’s, reaching out and snatching the ridiculous straw hat he’d insisted on perching on top of his head as she passes him, tossing it behind her. 

“Hey!” He shouts out. “That was my hat!”

She just laughs and gallops on, pulling up finally by some trees a couple of miles from the city. She sees to the horses as the Doctor unpacks their food, setting it all out on the ground - he’d even thought to bring a blanket - and she wanders over and drops down next to him, planting a kiss on his cheek. 

“This was a good idea,” she smiles. She knew it was a little irresponsible to take off for a whole afternoon without a word but Serra had been told where they would be should any real emergencies in the city rise. 

“Thought we could both do with getting away for a bit,” he says, and River nods, looking back to the city with a sigh. 

“Things seem so much simpler out here, don’t they?”

He doesn’t comment, pouring them both some wine. 

River feels a peace settle over them as they eat, a lightness she hadn’t felt in a while and out here, it’s not so hard to remember their old life - their simple life where they’d gone wherever they’d fancied and done as they’d pleased. It had begun to feel like a distant dream lately; like she’d never left Rome in the first place. 

She sighs. “Probably should have brought the children,” she says, feeling a little guilty. 

“Mmm we could have done,” the Doctor agrees, finishing his apple and tossing the core to his horse. “But then we couldn’t have done this.” He moves suddenly - taking her by surprise which doesn’t happen often - pushing her down onto her back on the blanket and leaning over her with a grin. 

“Doctor!” She laughs as his hands roam her sides. “Here?” She pretends to be appalled. “Where anyone could see us!?”

“There’s nobody around,” he grins, leaning in to press kisses down her neck. She chuckles, tilting her head back with a sigh and shifting underneath him. When she takes his hand and guides it down her body, she can feel him smirk against her neck when he finds she has already dragged her dress up round her thighs, and he wastes no time in letting his fingers dip between them.

She can feel him pressing into her thigh, and pushes her knee into the pressure just a bit to hear him grunt against her neck and she chuckles, tilting her head to whisper promises in his ear that have his fingers sinking into her and his breathing quickening against her neck. Promises she fully intends to see through but she is in no hurry, and for now is content to lay in the warm afternoon sun with the sounds of nothing but birds and the munching of their horses in the grass nearby, and let her husband pleasure her. 

Her ears pick up on a sound not in tune with the tranquil scene and she freezes. “Stop,” River says suddenly. 

“What?” The Doctor lifts his head. “What’s wrong?”

“Stop -  _ stop!”  _ She hisses urgently, pushing at his hand.  

“Wha - did I do somethi-” She claps a hand over his mouth, muffling his words and when he looks at her in alarm he obviously sees the urgency in her eyes and his own widen. 

A twig cracks, and she shoves him off her, rolling to her feet and diving for the sword attached to her saddle just as a figure leaps out of one of the trees. She dodges and flips the figure as it makes to come down on her, and the hooded man rolls quickly to his feet, circling her with a blade drawn. 

“Doctor get out of here!” River shouts at him. 

“Are you mad! I’m not leaving you with this maniac!”

“I can take him just  _ get away!” _

They circle each other and he dives for her - she blocks easily, swiping for him, and then her eyes catch movement behind him, and she glances at the Doctor to see him motioning at her - she looks down, catches on, and grins. She lunges, backs the man up a few steps and as soon as he is standing on their blanket the Doctor whips it out from under him, landing him flat on his face. 

River pounces, sword at his neck, triumphant and ready to pull off his hood when a pop goes off and the area is suddenly clouded in dense smoke that has them coughing and struggling to see - 

When the smoke clears the man is gone. 

\--

“Who do you think it was?” The Doctor questions as he helps her hurriedly saddle up their horses. 

“An assassin.”

“Yes but -  _ who? _ ”

“I don’t know, Doctor,” she answers, “Could be anyone.”

“How did they find us out here?”

“I don’t know,” she says again, “Must have followed us.” She huffs. “I was foolish to think I could have a day off.”

“Yes but how -”

“I don’t  _ know,” _ she says, annoyed. “Sweetie, you’re asking like you expect me to have the answers to these questions - your guess is a good as mine at this point.” She sighs at his frown, stepping in to press a kiss to his lips. “Ride back to the palace, report the attack.”

“Where are you going?” He frowns as she climbs up onto her horse. 

“I’m going after him.” She kicks her horse forwards but he jumps in front and grabs her reins. 

“River. That’s a  _ bad idea _ , we don’t know who he is.”

“No. But I’m going to find out.”

“That’s - very dangerous!” He says, wagging his finger at her as she yanks her reins back from his grasp. 

“Oh,” she says, turning her horse round before flashing him a grin. “I know.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry I didn't falter after my initial enthusiasm after returning I've just been in bed dying of the flu all week and couldn't even move let alone write. I'm still slightly dying actually but finishing this chapter has been a nice distraction today :) If you want to make me feel better you can send me some comments to read from my sick bed :D Much love <3


	17. Chapter 17

After scoping out the area around where they’d been having a picnic, River manages to pick up a track - but it is a weak one which she soon loses, cursing herself for letting her tracking skills go so lax over the years they had been away. 

She jumps down from her horse, tethering it to a tree so she can get a closer look at the ground and try and pick up some footprints. She is crouching down inspecting a branch that looks recently trodden on when she hears the soft crackle of footprints just faintly behind her. Realising someone is approaching, River quietly swings herself up into the branches of a tree and crouches there, watching silently as the figure emerges from the trees and steps into her line of sight - 

She leaps, landing on top of them and sending them both crashing to the ground - her attacker moves fast after giving a muffled shout of surprise, throwing River off and to the ground where she quickly kicks out their legs and as they scramble to get to their feet and away she lands a blow across the person’s face, making them yell out - she hurriedly pins them to the floor beneath her, whipping her sword out and and pausing to look down into their face -

“Regulus!” She gasps as he groans. She leaps to her feet, immediately pointing her sword at his neck. She glances around. “What are you doing here?”

“I -” He lets out a cough. “Came to find you.” Another cough as he brushes her sword aside to roll onto his knees. “ _ Damnit  _ you’ve got a mean right hook.”

River presses the blade into his neck. “How did you know where I was?”

“Your husband told me! I’m a general now remember, he told us what had happened. The others are getting together a group of men to come after you but -” He sits back down, rubbing at the blood on his lip. “Those buffoons couldn’t find their way out of a papyrus bag. Thought I’d get a head start.”

“And… how did you  _ find _ me?” She insists. 

“I tracked you,” he says, like it was obvious. “You’re really not too hard to miss.”

River sighs, finally sheathing her sword. “I wasn’t trying to be missed -  _ I  _ am trying to find someone else.”

“Ah well perhaps you could use my assistance then. Unless -” he makes a show of looking around. “You’re managing to find this person fine all on your own?”

River rolls her eyes, reaching out a hand to help him up. He eyes it for a moment before grasping it and letting her pull him to his feet.

“I found a trail but I’ve lost it again. I suspect they took to the trees to shake me off - probably knew I’d come after them.”

“So,” he says, flexing his jaw, “I guess you really weren’t kidding about those assassination attempts huh?”

“Did it sound like a joke?” She sighs, and steps towards him, swatting his hand aside and grabbing his chin. “Here let me see.”

“ _ Ow!” _

“Oh it’s nothing,” she drops her hand, rolling her eyes. “Maybe that will teach you to creep up on armed killers.”

“I didn’t creep up on you - I came to help!” He exclaims, annoyed.

“Well I’m not going to catch up to them now,” she says, making her way back over to her horse. “May as well head back.”

“So I trekked all the way out here for nothing?” He grumbles. 

“You decided to come,” she rolls her eyes. 

“Thought I might get a bit of action. I’m going out my brain sparring with your idiot soldiers day in and day out - do you know how bloody useless they are? I could beat them with my eyes closed and one hand tied behind my back.”

“Hmm,” River says contemplatively, swinging herself up onto her horse. “Maybe you’d like to fight me then?”

“Fight  _ you _ ?”

“Yes,” she says with a shrug. “I could use a workout. I suppose I could train you at the same time.”

“ _ Train me!?” _ He scoffs, like he is offended as he jogs to catch up with her when she turns her horse towards home. “I don’t need you to  _ train me _ \- you’ve seen me fight!”

“Ah,” she says, throwing a smirk over her shoulder. “But you haven’t seen  _ me _ fight.”

He opens his mouth to reply but River kicks her horses with her heels and takes off, leaving him alone as she heads back towards her city. 

\--

Her generals and a small group of soldiers are just mounting up when she rides through the gates. 

“Your highness!” Stylax exclaims, “We were just heading out to help you.”

“Don’t bother,” River says, jumping off her horse and handing the reins to a boy who hurries over. “They’re long gone. Couldn’t pick up a trail. We’re just going to have to keep our eyes open and watch our backs. I want extra guards on the wall, day and night. Not a soul is to come into this city without their name and purpose being recorded do you understand?”

“Yes your majesty, I’ll get right on that.” He salutes her. 

She makes to head back to the palace and pauses, hesitating. 

“Is there anything else, your highness?”

“Was… Regulus with you this afternoon?”

“Training?” Stylax replies. “Yes, he was.”

Feeling relief flood through her, River nods. “Ah, okay, good. Just checking he’s performing his duties. Do okay, did he?”

He nods. “Not too bad, your highness. Although our session was cut short when your husband came to find us. I think he headed out after you.”

“Yes,” she waves a hand dismissively. “And the Doctor?” 

“Back in the palace, I believe.”

“Thank you Stylax. That’s all.”

\--

She finds the Doctor on her way through the palace, standing in a hallway in conversation with a group of her chancellors. 

“River!” He sounds relieved when he spots her, hurrying over and wrapping his arms around her.

“Did you find them? What happened?”

She shakes her head, batting him away as he checks her over for injuries. “No, he’s long gone - sweetie  _ please _ ,” she pulls her arm out of his grasp where he’d been scrutinising the bruise she’d received from her scuffle with Regulus. 

She approaches her chancellors, addressing them, “I told general Stylax to tighten security on the city walls, see that it’s done here in the palace too,” she orders, and as they hurry away to obey her, she turns back to the Doctor. “I’m heading upstairs, I need to change.”

“I’ll come with you,” he says, hurrying to fall into step with her. He drops a hand to the small of her back as they climb a flight of stairs and leans in to speak low into her ear. 

“We uh… never got to finish what we started earlier,” he says suggestively, and she feels her stomach flutter pleasantly. 

“And what was that again? You’ll have to remind me,” she teases. 

“I’m certain you remember.”

“Hmm… no. Can’t recall.”

They round a corner and he takes hold of her arm, spinning her round suddenly and pinning her to the wall, pressing the length of his body against hers. 

“My, someone’s eager,” she purrs, a little breathless as he rolls his hips into hers. 

“I’m always eager for you,” he growls, leaning in to pepper kisses down her neck. 

“True.”

“No more running off after murderers on your own. It’s dangerous.”

“So  _ that’s  _ what this is about - honey, danger is my middle name.”

“And don’t I know it,” he sighs, moving back to look down at her.

She lifts a hand to place it on his cheek. “Were you really that worried? You know I can take care of myself.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m not going to worry when you’re out there in potential danger and I don’t know where you are.”

“Hm… how do you think I felt for six weeks?”

He falters a bit. “River -”

“I know, I know,” she huffs, rolling her eyes. “That’s over and done with - doesn’t mean I’m going to forgive you just yet for letting me think you were dead.”

He looks a bit conflicted for a moment before he regains his footing and leers at her. “You can punish me if you like.”

“Oh sweetie,” she laughs, “You wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

She is still laughing at the way he’d spluttered when they get to their chambers, pushing him against the wall beside the door as soon as they are inside and ordering a short “out!” To Serra, who scurries past them with a blush, shutting the door shut behind her.    
“River,” the Doctor growls, backing her up. “Be nice.”   
“What? I am nice!”

He doesn’t say anything else, lifting her up onto the table he’d backed her into, hands dancing over her sides as he sucks on her collarbone in a way he knows will leave a mark. 

River lets out a soft moan, letting her head tilt back as she enjoys the attention. Gripping her thighs, the Doctor pulls her legs apart so he can step between them and she rolls her hips into him welcomely, turning her face to his and hauling him round for a deep kiss. She feels his hands start to bundle her dress up between, his movements getting more urgent and less coordinated and he obviously thinks he’s going to have her here on the table, but River has other plans, plans that are going to take a lot longer than the five minutes her husband clearly has in mind and she’d rather be somewhere comfortable.  

Just as he slides his hand up between her legs, River breaks away from his mouth and rolls quickly backwards over the table and off the other side, flashing a grin at his surprised face before whirling and disappearing into their bedchamber. 

She hides behind the wall and jumps out at him as he hurries in, startling him so much he almost trips over his own feet, flailing for a minute, before he catches himself and whirls on her. 

“That was  _ not  _ funny!” He waggles a finger at her as she doubles over laughing. 

“Your  _ face!” _

Growling, he advances on her, backing her up until her legs hit the bed and she sits down on it. He leans in, hands either side of her as she looks up into his eyes, her own alight with laughter but still dark with lust beneath that. 

“Shut up and get undressed.”

“Ooh I love it when you get demanding,” River purrs.

“I know you do you bad girl,” he flirts, tapping her on the nose before stepping back to let her get to her feet and shuck her dress off. She lets it drop to the floor and he spins her around, giving her a smack to her behind. “Now get on the bed.”

Letting out what she would never admit is a giggle, River crawls onto the bed,and lets herself lay back against the pillows, propped up on her elbows and smirking seductively at her husband. 

“Look at that,” he says, undressing himself as he lets his eyes trail greedily over her form, “The mighty empress of Rome, all mine.”

“All yours honey,” she agrees, letting her legs spread open to give him an even better view. 

He smirks, whipping his toga over his head. “Now turn over mighty empress,” he says, climbing up onto the bed with her, “I’m going to make you scream.”

“That had better be a promise,” she purrs as she rolls onto her stomach and he crawls up behind her, tugging her hips up towards him with an arm under her stomach. 

“On your life,” he murmurs. He slips a hand from her stomach down between her legs, finding her hot and slick beneath his fingertips. The other hand finds purchase on her hip as he circles the pads of his fingers over her clit and River hums, rocking back into the pressure and tilting her hips, so his cock presses against her. Her hands curl into her pillows as he sinks slowly into her and she waits until he is buried deep inside her before suddenly pushing herself up onto her knees and making them both groan. One hand flies round to grab his behind for purchase and the other she reaches round behind her head to grab a fistful of his hair as she turns her face and pulls him into another open mouthed kiss. 

“Get on with it then,” She breaths hotly against his mouth when their lips part, and with a delighted grin, her husband does just that. 

\--

“River.”

“Hm?” She replies sleepily, curled into the Doctor beneath warm sheets some time later. 

There is a pause. 

“What is it?” She prompts. 

“Hm, nothing…”

“Doctor,” she turns to face him, with a roll of her eyes and he sighs. 

“I want to lead another mission.”

“No,” she replies without missing a beat. 

“Hear me out -”

“ _ No _ , Doctor.”

“There’s been whispers - rumours. Macedonia -”

“ _ What?”  _ She almost scoffs in disbelief, “So now you want to take my army  _ abroad _ to have a go at killing them all off over there!?”

“River -”

“Stop it Doctor.”

“They’re building war galleys. I mean - we think. It’s been under Roman rule for many years now -”

“Yes I know, I put it there.”

“- But it’s no secret they’ve become unsettled with it. They tried to attack before at the beginning of Tiberius’s reign but it was back when the city’s defenses and army were still strong and they were fought off.”

“I know!” She huffs, annoyed, sitting up and tugging a sheet around her. “I know all of this Doctor and I don’t care if they’re building a bloody flame-throwing floating castle there’s no way you’re sailing off over there with some fanciful idea of heroism in your head to get yourself killed!”

“All I’d need is a ship and enough men to crew it - you can’t tell me what I can and can’t do anymore!”

“It’s  _ my _ ship and  _ my  _ men so yes I can!” She fumes. 

They stare each other down for a few moments before - somewhat to River’s surprise - the Doctor relents, sighing. 

“Fine.” 

They lay in silence for another moment before a knock on the door can be heard. River huffs, rolling out of bed and to her feet. “I’ll get it,” she mutters, scooping her dress up off the floor and throwing it over her head. 

River swings the door open to one of her chancellors,red faced and out of breath. "Your highness!" He exclaims, sounding relieved.

"What is it?"

"I think you'd better come down to the hall."

River strides into her main hall to see a group of her men gathered around.

"What's going on?" She demands, approaching them. They step aside and she sees Regulus, looking a little dirty and battered but undeniably smug. It is then her eyes flicker to the left at the man Regulus appears to have restrained, his arms behind his back and anger in his eyes. She takes in the long hooded cape he is wearing and her eyes go wide in recognition.

"Is that -!?"

"Oh yes. Found him three miles from the city gates. Seems I did what you couldn't, your highness," he smirks.

"Watch your tongue," she snaps, but is impressed, stepping towards them both. She grabs the man's face, forcing him to look at her. 

"Who sent you?" She demands.

He says nothing, glaring at her.

Her nails dig into his chin as she leans in. "Who. Sent. You?"

He spits at her and she backhands him across the face sharply.

She clicks her fingers for her guards and two of them hurry forwards and take the man from Regulus.

"Take him away," she says, and they wrestle him out of the room, she calls another couple of guards over. "Go with them," she orders when the man is out of earshot, "Get a name out of him then kill him."

She turns to Regulus as they disappear. "How did you find him?"

"Told you. I'm a good tracker."

"But there weren't any tracks!"

"I'm a  _ very _ good tracker."

She shakes her head. "How did you... how did you get him all the way back here on your own!?"

He grins. "Good in general really, aren't I?"

River huffs, rolling her eyes. "Yes well… good job," she says, reluctant to inflate his already dangerously large ego but knowing the praise was due. "I suppose you want a reward?"

He places a hand on his heart. "Knowing my dear mother is proud of me is all the praise I require."

Her eyes going wide as she hurriedly looks around to make sure everyone in the room is out of earshot, River glares at him.

"Shut your damn mouth!" She hisses as he laughs.

"Fine, fine," he says, "A couple hundred denarii wouldn't go amiss. And a good horse if you've got one spare."

"Yes, fine," she waves a hand. "I'll see that you get your money and your horse," she says and he grins. "As long as you make sure you're on the training court at dawn tomorrow. That means first light not halfway through the morning!"

“Dawn!? Why?”

“Because Regulus,” she says, “I’m going to train you.”

\--

The empress is surprised when she strolls onto her training court at first light the next morning to see Regulus already there, lunging at one of the training dummies with his sword.

“Good morning,” she calls out cheerfully as she approaches. 

“It would be better if I was still asleep,” he grumbles, and River rolls her eyes.

“So is this a punishment or a reward?” 

“What?”

“I mean - a one on one sparring session with the empress has gotta be an honour right? But the time… not so much.”

River just smiles, drawing her sword. “Let’s see what you’ve got then.”

They circle each other, Regulus going for a few swings which River parries, going against him on the offence. 

"You fight well," she says after a few minutes, dropping back a bit to give them both a breather. "Where were you trained?"

"Here and there," he answers vaguely, blocking her moves. 

"Ever been to war?"

He grins, going for an opening that River easily parries. "Many times."

She narrows her eyes. "Fighting for whom?"

"Whoever paid the best."

She blocks another move, twisting his sword in a way that would disarm most, but Regulus goes with the movement, whirling round and coming back at her, sword still in his grasp.

"That's what you did then was it? Fight for money."

"For a while."

"And before that?"

He lowers his sword, looking at her carefully. "Why the sudden interest?"

She sighs. "You are… my son, Regulus. As much as I've tried to deny that. I thought of you many times over the years - although I did my best not to. Your birthday was the day the Doctor came to the palace do you know?" She gives a small smile. "I don't know what that means."

"Nothing, I'd imagine," he rolls his eyes and she smiles. 

"Probably." She motions with her sword. “Let’s go again. Watch your footwork this time, take time to find the right opening instead of going for every chance you get - you’ll tire yourself out too fast.”

"Look,” he says with a frown, taking a heavy swing at her which, when she blocks, she feels the blow of all the way down her arm. “I don't need you training me,” another blow, angrier now, “ - I’ve been fighting since I was old enough to swing a sword!” Again he swings but again River blocks it easily, which only seems to deepen his frown. He huffs, wiping the sweat from his brow. “I made my first kill at thirteen."

"Really, you were that old?"

"What?" He scoffs, "Gonna tell me you were twelve?"

"Ten, actually," she says, and as awful a matter it is she enjoys the look of astonishment on his face, and he barely just manages to block her next move. "By thirteen I'd lost count."

He is silent, and she motions with her sword. "Again. This time do as I say."

They wrap up the training session some time later, River feeling a pleasant ache in her muscles that mean she’s worked herself hard, and she is pleased with the progress Regulus had made, once he actually started listening to her.

“Nice work today,” she says as they walk back across her court together. “I should have some time this afternoon to go over some more things with you, you can come to my chambers after lunch.”

“Not more tax reports,” he groans. 

“Yes more tax reports - this is what you need to learn,” she rolls her eyes. “Although we may have to do something more military based if the Doctor is around - he was suspicious last week.”

“Here’s hoping then,” he quips. There is a pause as they walk in silence for a while before Regulus clears his throat and speaks again. "So er..." he sounds uncharacteristically hesitant. "When is my birthday?"

Her eyebrows shoot up. "You don't know?"

He shakes his head once. "They never told me."

Rivers brow furrows. "Who?"

"Oh - the couple who raised me. I mean, I know it's spring some time but I've never known a date. Never celebrated it."

"It's May fourteenth," she says, thinking how sad that is. 

He brightens. "That's soon."

"Yes." River nods, pausing again before asking her next question. "Were they... nice?"

“Who?”

“The couple. Who raised you.”

“Do you care?” He scoffs. 

“Yes,” River frowns. “I do care.”

He snorts. “Yeah. They were nice.”

She nods, feeling a little flutter in her chest at that, although she isn’t sure how to interpret the strange mixture of relief yet melancholy that seems to fill her. They walk in silence for another moment before she decides to test him and swings at him suddenly, taking him by surprise and although he raises his sword in reflex she easily sends it flying out of his hand.

"Hey!"

"Ah see, you lowered your guard," River says smugly as he scoops his sword off the floor. 

"We were talking! We finished fighting!”

"You lowered your guard," she repeats. "I could have killed you in a second."

"This isn't a real fight," he says, annoyed, as they circle each other again. "If you were an enemy I wouldn't have done!"

"I thought I was the enemy," she quips.

"Not since you promised me your throne. That is still the deal, is it not mother?"

"It's the deal as long as you never call me that again," she says, swinging for him. "And providing you get better at swordplay."

To prove her point, she flies forward, raining down a series of blows on him that have him visibly struggling to keep up with her, she pushes him back, watching him work up a sweat, until he stumbles, tripping over his own feet and she relents, dropping back and letting him gain the upper hand until he knocks her sword from her grasp.

"Aha!" He says, triumphant.

"Well done," she smiles, stopping to pick up her sword from the dirt and turning to face him as she wipes it off on her tunic.

"Hang on," he pants, frowning as he wipes the sweat from his forehead. "You're not even out of breath!"

"Good session," River says. "Same time tomorrow?"

"Wait a minute!" He calls out as she walks away. "Did you let me win!? Hey!"

"I have a council meeting." She calls over her shoulder. "Can't spend all morning sparring with you."

"Come back here and fight me properly!"

She laughs. "Oh please," she says. "You're not ready for that yet."

 


	18. Chapter 18

Nodding at the guard on the door, River steps into the darkened room, eyes narrowed as she takes in the man tied to the chair in the middle of it, his blood covered head hanging. She crosses the room to stand in front of him.

“What’s your name?” She demands. The man slowly lifts his head. One eye is shut and swollen, blood drips from his nose and his lip and sweat glistens on his brow. He glares at her and remains silent.

“This can be as easy or as hard as you like,” River says. “What - is - your - name?”

He snarls at her. “Cut off as many fingers as you like; I will never talk.”

She walks round to the back of the chair where his hands are tied to see that indeed, two of his fingers were missing, bloodied stumps in their place. Circling back round to stand in front of him, she lifts her dress and withdraws the knife from its place in the holster on her thigh. She watches the man’s eyes follow the movements of her dress as it flutters back down to the floor.

“Maybe if I cut something else off then, hm?” River’s eyes drop to the man’s lap and his own widen momentarily before his face twists in defiance again.

“Your threats don’t scare me,” he growls, “The words of a deserter!”

“What about my blade?” She says, leaning in, one hand on the arm of his chair and the blade in the other going to his crotch. She presses it in, just a enough to see his eyes water. “Does that scare you?”

“You’ll never break me,” He pants, “I’ve been trained to withstand far worse than anything you could possibly do to me!”

“Trained?” She tilts her head to the side. “By who?”

She sees his eyes briefly widen again and knows she’s just learnt something she wasn’t supposed to. “You’re working for someone then. I had suspected but it’s good to have proof,” she smiles, showing her teeth and he spits at her.

“Fuck you.”

“In your dreams,” River snarls, pressing the knife in harder before dragging it sharply down his thigh, pleased when he cries out.

“Your highness?”

She turns her head to see Regulus in the doorway of the chamber.

“Ah,” she says, straightening. “Come to see if I’d gotten anything useful out of your catch yet?” she says, wiping the blood from the blade on the man’s shirt.

“Well - have you?” Regulus asks, stepping into the room.

“Yes, actually.”

“Yes?”

“Our friend here’s just told me he’s working for an organisation.”

“No I never!” The man exclaims.

“If you were trained then someone trained you,” she sings out, pointing the knife at him. “Someone did that for a reason.” She turns to Regulus, “Killing me, I’m guessing. Nobody’s come after you yet which means you were expendable. So more than one or two people are behind this. It’s really quite obvious. Now,” she turns back to the man. “Is this a group of rebels or are you working for somebody who’d like to sit on my throne themselves? Let’s find out shall we?”

“Er - maybe… that’s enough for today,” Regulus steps forward, placing his hand on her arm as she aims her blade at the man.

“Excuse me?” She half laughs.

He motions to him. “If he loses much more blood he’s going to be too weak to talk. Not to mention he might die,” he rolls his eyes.

River snorts. “Nonsense, it’s just a scratch. Isn’t that right?” She says loudly, nudging the bleeding cut with her boot and making him yell out. She leaves her foot on his thigh, and steadily leans her weight onto it, watching the man’s eyes water and his face scrunch up in pain.

“Now shall we continue our conversation?” She applies more pressure and he lets out another yelp.

“You won’t make me talk,” he says through gritted teeth. “And you won’t stop us.”

Leaning all her weight onto her foot she leans forward, pressing her knife into his crotch once again. “Stop _who_?”

“I don’t think he’s going to talk,” Regulus speaks up after a moment.

“Shut up you,” River snaps, digs the knife in a bit further, watches blood appear through the mans trousers. He whimpers.

“Stop who?” She repeats.

“You’ll never stop us,” he gasps out. “You have no idea what you’re... dealing.. with…”

Feeling discomfort rise inside her, the empress leans in further. “What am I dealing with?”

He leans in, his face close to hers. “More than you can handle.”

She snorts. “I rule the most powerful empire in the world; there’s nothing I can’t handle.”

He sits back, nasty smirk on his face. “We’ll see about that.”

“I might. You won’t live to see tomorrow at this rate.”

He shakes his head. “You think you have the upper hand in this situation… but you don’t know how wrong you are. You don’t know who _we_ are. Or what we know. Or what we’re capable of.”

“On the contrary,” it is River’s turn to lean in. “You don’t know what _I’m_ capable of.”

He starts to laugh - at first she thinks he’s choking and then realises it’s short, mocking scoffs he’s letting out.

She presses down on the wound on his thigh. “What’s so funny!?” She demands.

“Oh,” he says, “You’ll find out.”

“Going to tell me?” She hisses, and presses her knife hard into his crotch, delights in the hiss he gives as her eyes flicker down to see blood trickle out through his trousers. “Or did you want to spend the rest of your days as a eunuch?”

She sees him swallow. “What does it matter? You’re going to kill me after I tell you anyway.”

“And how slowly and painfully would you like to die?” River moves her knife from his crotch to his other thigh, and presses it in, breaking the skin. “Because I can make it _very..._ slow…” She threatens, dragging the blade up his thigh, blood following it’s trail, “And very, _very,_ painful…” she digs it in further, watches him let out a cry through gritted teeth. “Going to talk before I get much further up? Because I’m not about to stop.”

Although his eyes water he presses his lips together and shakes his head, hatred in his eyes, and frustrated, River is ready to make good on her promise and grips the knife handle tighter -

“Highness I think that -”

“River!?”

She freezes a bit at the familiar voice interrupting Regulus’s from behind her, and lets out a sigh, closing her eyes momentarily as she places her foot back on the ground before turning to face her husband in the doorway, knife behind her back and the bound man whimpering in relief behind her.

“Yes sweetie?”

He steps inside with wide eyes. “What are you doing!?”

“Talking to our lovely prisoner. Don’t you have somewhere you need to be, honey?”

Her husband looks between her and the man in the chair. “That doesn’t look like talking!”

“Doctor,” She warns, “Now is not the time for this.”

His eyes slide to the bloodied man behind her again and glances briefly at Regulus.

“Can we talk outside please? Or upstairs?”

Knowing the look in his eyes, after staring him down for a moment, she lets out a sigh. “Fine, I was finished here anyway. Er, Regulus, see that he gets taken back to his cell will you?” She turns to him, subtly slipping the knife into his grasp. “Get him to talk,” she mutters into his ear before turning and leaving the cell with a sweet smile at her husband who follows her out.

\--

“Oh for the last time, I was not _torturing_ anyone!”

“Then what would you call it?” The Doctor demands, arms folded.

“I told you - I was getting information!”

“By mutilating him!”

“ _Motivating_ , it was just a little motivation to talk! I wasn’t torturing the man, you’re so dramatic sometimes sweetie.”

“River - inflicting pain in order to gain information is literally the definition of torture!”

She rolls her eyes, throwing her hands up into the air. “Well what would you have me do!? Release the man who attempted to kill me? I’m the _empress_ , Doctor, it’s a serious crime!”

“Of course not release him - you’re being absurd!”

“No _you’re_ being absurd! This is what I have to do - he tried to assassinate me - he’s working for people who want me dead and will likely stop at nothing to achieve that - do you know what will happen if one of them gets into the palace - if one of them comes across Livia in the hallway or the baby in the nursery - the baby - he’s heir to the throne; if they want me dead you can bet they want him dead too -”

“River -”

“And I will do whatever it takes to keep my family and my empire safe and if that means I have to torture a thousand men with my bare hands to do so then that’s what I’ll do!”

The Doctor stares at her as she finishes, panting and eyes blazing.

He swallows after a beat, and shakes his head. “What’s happened to you?” He croaks out. “I haven’t heard you talk that way since…”

“What’s happened to me?” She half-laughs. “You made me come back here. You made me bring our family here. You knew the price.”

He shakes his head. “I thought you could be different..” He trails off then steps forward, eyes pleading and sad as he reaches for her. “River -”

She shrugs him off, turning away. “Well I’m not different.” She pauses then mumbles, “I was never different.”

He stares at her back. “That’s not true.”

She walks away.

“River -”

The door to their chambers shuts soundly behind her.

\--

The empress has a meeting with her council that afternoon, who she breifs on the attempt on her life and the little information she had managed to gain from her would-be-killer, reiterating her order for the watch on the city’s walls and the palace to be doubled. Afterwards, she meets with her army, calling for another last-minute training session and she pushes them and herself hard until the sun has long set and the moon shines high in the sky above her training court.

Finally dismissing them, she turns away to get a drink from one of the slaves at the edge of the court, and hears footsteps approach her as her men file out.

“Trying to kill them all off before they ever see a real battle?”

“If you can’t keep up Regulus then may I suggest you hand in your general’s badge?” She snaps, throwing back a cup of water before wiping her mouth and striding away. He follows her, jogging to keep up. “I can keep up just fine,” she glances at him with an eyebrow raised at his sweat drenched form, still panting as he strides along next to her, his mop of hair falling damp into his eyes and is about to remark on his appearance in jest before realising that she’s in about the same state of exhaustion herself.

“What I mean is,” he continues, “Making them train so hard they’ll be stiff and sore for days won’t do anyone any good. Say the city was attacked at first light - do you really think they could hold them off when most of them will scarcely be able to pick up a sword tomorrow!?”

River whirls on him, eyes blazing. “Since when did you know a damn thing about leading an army?” She snaps.

“You’d be surprised,” he growls back, and she frowns at him, eyes narrowed for a second before she shakes her head. “Hired swords don’t lead entire armies.”

His jaw tightens. “Maybe not - but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to.”

She scoffs, shaking her head and starting to walk away again. “Go to bed, Regulus,” She turns to eye him up and down. “Looks like you need the rest.”

He opens his mouth to retort when one of her chancellors is seen running towards them from the palace.

“Your majesty!” He calls out urgently. “Your majesty!”

“What is it Marcus?”

He stops in front of her, out of breath. “It’s the prisoner your highness - he’s dead.”

“Dead!? No! How!? I ordered he was searched for poison!”

“No,” he shakes his head, still panting, “Not suicide your highness, his throat has been slit. He’s still bound to the chair.”

“What?? Show me immediately!”

\--

“Nobody!?” She rages at the trembling guard stationed on the door to the cell that held her, now deceased, prisoner. “You saw _nobody_ come down here?”

“N -no your highness.”

“You didn’t hear any noises? You didn’t hear somebody get _murdered_ right behind you!?”

“River? What’s going on?” The Doctor appears down in the cells, eyes wide. “A guard told me the prisoner was dead?”

“ _Murdered_. Somebody murdered him.”

“Murdered?”

“His throat was slit - and this _idiot_ says he didn’t see anything when he clearly let somebody get past him!” She shouts at the trembling man. 

“River calm down this is not the guard’s fault!”

She whirls on the Doctor. “Did you do this!?” She demands.

“What?” He splutters.

“Have him killed so I couldn’t torture information out of him!?”

“Are you serious!?”

“Well did you?” She rages, jabbing a finger at his chest. He grabs her hand.

“Do you seriously think I would do something like that!” He snaps back, throwing her hand away. She glares at him for a moment before she lets out a huff, whirling away.

“No, you wouldn’t,” she agrees, quieter. “All of you get out. _Leave_.”

Footsteps scurry away as she paces.

“Now just calm down,” the Doctor places his hands on her shoulders but she throws him off.

“Don’t tell me to calm down! My only way of finding out who was behind this attack has now gone!”

“River - he’s not the first man who’s attempted to kill you - nor will he be the last I’m sure - you’re overreacting.”

“I’m not overreacting!” She yells, whirling to face him before looking away, folding her arms around herself. “You didn’t hear what he said,” she mumbles, quieter.

The Doctor tilts his head. “What did he say?”

“That… I wouldn’t stop them. That I didn’t know what I was dealing with and they knew things about me - and there was such mockery in his eyes Doctor, like he knew they had already won - whoever _they_ are -”

“Knew what things?”

She shakes her head, looking away. “I don’t know. It could be anything about me, you - the children…”

She looks up at him again and her eyes flash angrily. “Maybe if you hadn’t stopped me earlier I might have found out! Now it’s too late.”

The Doctor swallows hard and looks away.

“Can I see?” He says quietly, motioning to the door.

“Be my guest.”

He steps inside the room and River paces for a few more minutes, fretting. The man had unnerved her earlier with his words. But she’d thought she’d get more out of him. She’d told herself that she would manage to get a name out of him and then it would be ok; she could deal with this threat. Now… she had nothing to go on. And there was the matter of somebody having managed to get past her guard to murder her own prisoner right under her nose.

“River?”

She follows the Doctor’s voice into the cell. “What?”

He points at the tiny window right at the top of the cell. The bars have been forced apart and when she moves over to look closely, there are scuff marks on the wall like somebody had scrambled up it.

“The killer came in from outside.”

“To silence him,” River says, glancing at the man still slumped in the chair.

“Why not just rescue him?” The Doctor says. “They clearly had the way in and out - why would you kill somebody on the same side - it doesn’t make sense!”

“It does, sweetie,” River nods her head grimly, and shrugs. “I’d have done the same. If I sent somebody on a mission and they failed - badly enough to get themselves captured, I’d want them silenced but certainly not rescued.” She motions to the man. “This was his punishment.”

The Doctor eyes her warily. “You’re talking about before, you mean? This isn’t what you’d do now?”

“Right,” River says. “I should get his body disposed of.”

The Doctor nods. “Do you want me to deal with this?”

She looks at him appreciatively. “Would you?”

“Of course.” He walks over, rubbing a hand over her back. “You look tired.”

“Thanks,” she quips.

“Were you training all afternoon?”

She nods. “Yes. And I am tired.” She looks up at him. “I’m sorry I snapped at you sweetie. Of course you wouldn’t do something like this.”

The Doctor steps forward and wraps his arms around her, and after a moment she winds her own around his waist.

“Are we ok?” He murmurs into her hair and she nods.

“Always, sweetie.”

\--

The following morning River wakes to every muscle in her body aching. The Doctor scolds her when she groans her way through breakfast, having no sympathy for her self-inflicted pain.

“And once all the acid is burnt up and you continue to push the muscles past a point where they are physically able to cope with the strain they’ll tear!”  
River rolls her eyes as he finishes his lecture.

“Yes honey, I heard you the first five times. I’ll train less intensively in one go in future.”

He points a breadstick at her. “You could do yourself some serious damage. You’re not invincible, River.”

“There have been debates,” she smirks at him, and he jabs the breadstick more crossly in her direction.

“This is serious!”

“Ok, ok,” she sighs. “I’ll take it easy today, I promise. I have a meeting with my generals this morning then I’ll try and relax for the afternoon. Happy?”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” he sighs, and she smirks, leaning over to pat his cheek as she stands from the table but wincing when her back and arm twinges with pain.

She plucks the breadstick from his hand when he opens his mouth to gloat. “Shut up,” she says, popping it in her mouth as she leaves the room.

\--

Much to her own suprise, River does take the Doctor’s advice, deciding to spend a couple of hours in the baths instead of the training session she’d had schedule for her army that afternoon. She sends orders down to the army to spend the time cleaning their boots and armour instead which was not up to her standards, unwilling to let them think she was being soft on them but knowing they will be pleased for the rest.

“How’s the water?”

River opens her eyes, looking up to see the Doctor leaning in the doorway to the baths. She gives a delighted smirk. “Hello sweetie.”

“Serra told me I’d find you in here.”

“Did she now?” River purrs, swimming over to the other side of the giant bath and leaning her arms on the side with a seductive gaze at her husband. “Well why don’t you find out what the water’s like for yourself?”

He opens his mouth to reply but they are interrupted by Livia charging past him with an excited giggle and Serra appearing with Rory in his carry basket.

River sighs, sinking back down into the water and the Doctor gives her an apologetic glance. “Livia’s been dying to see the baths.”

“Can I get in mummy?” The little girl bounces at the side and River smiles at her.

“Of course darling, watch your step though it’s slippy - no running in here ok?”

She watches as her daughter steps carefully in the pool and the Doctor takes the baby from Serra, dismissing her and walking towards the baths with Rory in his arms. He kneels down by the poolside with him.

“Careful!” River scolds, standing and reaching for her child.

“I am being careful dear,” he rolls his eyes, gently passing her the baby then leaning in for a quick kiss.

She holds Rory to her chest, backing up a few steps to let the Doctor shuck his toga and clamber clumsily down into the bath with her.

“Babies can swim, you know,” he tells her, motioning to Rory. River bites her lip.

“I don’t know…”

“Come on he’ll be perfectly safe,” he says as he takes him from her again. “I won’t let go.”

“You had better not - be _careful!”_ She panics as she sees him lower their child into the water.

“Of course I’m being careful - he’s my son too.”

“Look mummy!” River turns to see Livia floating on her back in the water, hands paddling to stay afloat for a few seconds before she plunges under, and River dives over to her, hauling her back up.

“Oh my gods - this is _not_  what I had in mind when I saw you in the doorway,” River complains at the Doctor, brushing her daughters hair back from her face as she gasps in air. “Alright?”

“Yes that was fun!” Laughs Livia.

River sighs as the Doctor wades over to her chuckling, Rory held safely to his chest again. His free hand drops to her lower back beneath the hot water and he leans in, planting a kiss on her cheek before turning his head to murmur “Later,” low into her ear. River bites her lip as she feels warmth flood through her. She leans back into his touch, humming.

“How much later?”

“I’ve told Serra to come back for the children in an hour.”

River smiles at him over her shoulder. “Mmm, I love you.”

“I know you do dear,” he winks at her before speaking loudly again. “Right,” he passes the baby over again. “You take Rory, I’ll show Livia how it’s done.”

“I don’t need you to show me,” their daughter laughs as he wades over to her. “I can swim on my own, look!”

“You can’t swim,” he teases her.

“I can too!”

“Can not!” He dunks her under the water.

“Doctor!” River exclaims as their daughter resurfaces, gasping.

“Daddy!” She complains, rubbing water from her eyes as he laughs.

“Right that’s it,” says River, “Livia, here take your brother. That’s it, careful now.”

“You’re in for it daddy,” the little girl laughs as she takes her baby brother.

“Oh he is _so_ in for it,” River growls playfully as she wades towards the Doctor.

“Now River,” he says, holding out his hands. “Let’s be reasonable…”

“Reasonable?” She smirks, and splashes him. “Like this?”

“River!”

“Scared honey?” She splashes him again.

“Get him mummy!” Livia laughs in delight as the Doctor makes a show of flinching as the water hits him.

“Never!” The Doctor cries and River lunges for him, shoving him beneath the water. She pins him there for a few seconds, winking at Livia before she lets him back up and he resurfaces, gasping, and splashes her before grabbing for her.

“No!” River shrieks, making a show of struggling in his grasp but letting him dunk her head underwater all the same to the delighted laughter of their daughter.

By the time Serra returns for the children all four of them are thoroughly soaked. The baby had eventually started to cry when he’d got splashed putting an end to their games, but not before River had managed to dunk the Doctor under the water several more times, and had even pinned him down while Livia had a go. Needless to say, there was now almost as much water out of the baths as in, and River shakes her head with a smile on her lips as she waves goodbye to the children, watching her husband pass the baby over to Serra.

When he turns back to face River with a twirl and and heated look she gives him her own loaded gaze.

“Shut the door,” she says.

“You sure you’re up this?” He teases, closing the heavy door of the bathhouse firmly behind him and walking towards the pool.

River quirks an eyebrow. “Up to it?”

“You muscles?”

She leans her chin on her arms, resting on the side of the pool and giving him a seductive smirk. “It’s _your_ muscle I’m interested sweetie.”

He pauses. “That was terrible.”  
“You love it,” she grins wickedly.

“A bit, yeah.”

“Well don’t keep me waiting,” she purrs, and he complies, whipping the rest of his wet clothes off and clambering down into the pool. He grabs her face in his hands and steps in close for a deep kiss which River returns, moaning into his mouth as she presses the length of her naked body against his beneath the hot water.

He slides a hand down her side, letting it dip into the curve of her waist and round to cup her backside before his fingers glide over her hip and dip between her legs.

River moans into the kiss before pushing him back lightly.

“Not in the water sweetie.”

“Why?”

She raises an eyebrow at him. “Remember what happened last time?”

“Oh! Right, yes,” he says, and clears his throat, his ears going a bit pink and River laughs out loud, delighted at his ability to blush over such matters despite their having been married eight years.

He hoists himself out of the pool, leaping to his feet and holding out a hand to her and River gets to her own slightly more gracefully, letting him lead her to the steps and walking out of the water. He makes for their towels but she tugs on his hand, standing her ground and giving him a smirk when he glances back at her quizzically.

She walks backwards, towing him with her until her back hits one of the marble pillars in the room and she draws him down for a deep kiss, wrapping a leg up around his hips.

“Mmm,” she hums, sliding a hand down between them, letting her fingertips dance over his hardened length. “Want you inside me.”

“Shall we take this to a bench?” He mumbles against her lips, but River shakes her head.

“No,” she shakes her head, and stans up on her tiptoes, tilting her hips so he can feel the wetness between her legs. “Take me like this.”

He groans at her words, but shakes his head. “We’ve tried this before dear, and you’re too short.”

Indignant, River smacks his chest. “I am not short; you’re just nothing but limbs,” she shoots back. “Here - hold me.” Arms around his neck, she jumps up to wrap her other leg around his waist, the Doctors hands flying down to hold her under her thighs as he stumbles forwards, slamming her into the pillar behind her.

Although taken by surprise, he recovers quickly. “Oh, you want it like this?” He flirts, thrusting his hips and letting her feel the length of him against her core.

Letting out a moan, River nods, breathing hotly, “Yes, just like this.”

And so with no preamble, knowing they were both more than ready, the Doctor shifts his hips until he rests against her entrance, then thrusts himself inside her in one deep stroke.

“Don’t fall,” he murmurs, panting against her lips.

“Don’t drop me,” she fires back with a smirk, then twists her hips, circling them so they both groan at the sensation. “And don’t be gentle.”

“You asked for it,” he growls before shifting his grip on her thighs, holding them tightly to him so he can start up a hard rhythm, fucking her against the pillar with her arms tight around his neck.

Needless to say, by the time it’s over and they are sitting on the floor side by side against the pillar, sweaty and panting, any ache that had been relieved by the hot baths in River’s sore muscles is back tenfold.

She raises her hands above her head for a long stretch, letting out a groan of satisfaction as the Doctor rubs his hand over her back and she and decides that it was most definitely worth it.

\--

After another quick dip in the water, they are both dressed and ready to leave the bathhouse. “Back to reality,” River sighs, stepping in and pressing a kiss to the corner of her husband’s mouth, before turning to collect her sandals off the floor.

“River…” She glances over to find him watching her carefully. “You said something earlier. This afternoon when we were…”  
“Fighting?”

He looks up at her from beneath his fringe.

She sighs, walking over to him to smooth it back with her fingers. “What did I say?” She asks gently.

“You said… about Rory… about our son. You said he was heir to the throne.”

She frowns, concentrating on his hair as she smooths it into place. “Well, he’s the son of the empress. Technically he is. I mean, it should be Livia, in my opinion. But that’s millenias of misogyny for you.”

“But River,” he shakes his head, reaching up to take her hand and halting her movements, making her look him in the eyes. “Why would either of them be heir to the throne? We’re leaving Rome… you’re leaving the throne, and the empire... “ He tilts his head to the side, peering at her intently. “Aren’t you?”

River swallows, pulls her hand from his grasp with an uncomfortable shrug. “I don’t know sweetie.”

She turns to leave but he grabs her arm. “Woah woah, wait… you don’t _know?_ What do you mean _you don’t know?”_

“Doctor,” she says awkwardly, trying to wriggle free of his hold. “It’s… it’s complicated. I know that… that I haven’t discussed it with you and I need to but I was trying to get my own thoughts in order first before I brought it up.”

“But River if you’re even _considering - “_

“I don’t know, sweetie. I don’t know.” She sighs. “I left eight years ago because I thought I couldn’t have it all. But maybe I can…” She reaches out to take his hand. “Maybe _we_ can.”

He frowns at their joined hands for a moment before he pulls his from her grasp and shakes his head.

“Staying in Rome was never the plan.”

“Coming back at all was never _my_ plan,” She fires back.

They frown at each other for a moment before she turns away.

“So… you don’t want to stay then,” she says softly.

There is a long pause. “I don’t know,” he replies, equally as quiet. “I don’t know if… staying here is good... “ Another pause and she hears him swallow. “For you.”

She tenses, letting his words sink in before she takes a deep breath. “Or maybe it was just easier for you to forget who I really was when we were away,” she speaks. “Because this is me,” she tells him firmly, breaking eye contact and turning away from him. “I am the empress,” she says darkly before she walks away.

The Doctor lets her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this is awful, I'm a bit out of practice I guess.. so sorry about that. Is this fic worth continuing? I mean, it's all written, just up in my head and not down on paper, the latter I am struggling with these days, want to know if it's worth the struggle lol..


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two warnings for this one: firstly, descriptions of non-consensual sex. Secondly, I make no claim that this is historically accurate in anyway. Tis fiction. (:

River avoids her chambers for as long as she can that night. She doesn’t want to go up there because she knows the Doctor will be waiting for her and demanding answers and well… she doesn’t have them. She wanders the palace gardens instead, careful to stick to the shadows on the side she knows is blocked by a line of trees from her balcony.

Sighing, she takes a seat on one of the stone benches, picking at the petals of the flower she’d absently pulled up.

She shouldn’t have said anything to the Doctor. When he’d asked about what she’d let slip about Rory - she should have just waved the comment off. Why did her mouth have to choose _this_ to be so bloody truthful about? Although, she considers, there are considerably worse topics she could have broached with him… the main one, of course, being the secret she was keeping about Regulus. And, she thought with a frown, yanking a petal from the flower, intending to keep forever more.

Regulus… she lets out a sigh. Really, her mind had been made up about staying and she knew there was no use denying that to herself anymore; she wanted to. She wanted to stay so much - she felt so at home here, all those years away nothing or nowhere had ever felt right until she’d returned and finally felt like she could be _herself_ again. She loved the Doctor, she did, but she knew he expected too much of her sometimes. He was so desperate for her to be this _better_ version of herself - and in part she knew she had achieved it - but only as much as she was capable of. She couldn’t be so inheriantly _good_ like he was - always seeing the _right_ way, always… saving everyone. River had grown up in a world that had taught her that not everyone could be saved, and being the empress had meant that more often than not _she_ was the one who got to chose who wasn’t. She wouldn’t deny to herself that she liked that power; she always had. She couldn’t stop liking it just as much as she couldn’t stop war, which is how the Doctor would have it, she knew.

War: the one topic they were most at odds about. He hated it and thought it was pointless, River knew it consequently, eventually led to a better world. A more organised world with order. That in another life she had dreamed of ruling over. Her army was getting stronger and fitter now and quite honestly, she was hoping their city was attacked - it had been far too long and she itched for battle. Eight years was a long time… and by the gods she loved it. The thrill, the adrenalin… there was absolutely nothing in this world quite like charging into battle at the head of her army, the thundering of hooves, the yelling of her soldiers behind her against the roar of the opposing side, knowing that after today everything would change forever. That so many lives would be lost right here and now… River squeezed her eyes shut against the memories, pressing the hand with the flower now scrunched in her fist to her forehead. She couldn’t be thinking this way. She couldn’t have this anymore. And it wasn’t just because of her peace-loving husband and their two children - although that was a part of it - it was because of her _other_ child. Because of Regulus.

She had made him a promise… and she couldn’t see him being happy should she go back on her word. It was the only way of keeping who he was a secret - and that she had to do.

Perhaps there was… a small part of her that hoped that things would change in the future. That Regulus would change, and - what? She shook her head at her own foolishness. He’d stay here content to watch in the shadows while she ruled - watch her son prepare to take the throne after her and never say a word?

River knew that would never happen. She didn’t know what to do. She looked up at the moon, high in the sky by now and sighed. For now, she supposed, she had better go to bed, and so slowly gets to her feet and makes her way up through her palace to her bedchamber.

She is glad when she finds the Doctor already asleep, or at least pretending to be, and slips into bed silently beside him, relieved not to have to face questions she didn’t have the answers for for another night.

\--

When the Doctor wakes in the morning, his wife is nowhere to be seen. If it wasn’t for the silk dress on the floor at the foot of their bed, he wouldn’t know that she’d even returned to their chambers last night; he’d given up waiting for her in the early hours of the morning and fallen into a restless sleep.

After breakfast, he asks around and finds out she’d been seen heading down to her training court earlier that morning. He’ll be cross if she’s scheduled another training session so soon after the last - she’d promised she would take it easy for a few days.

However, when he makes his way down there, he finds the court void of her army; just River, galloping around the outside of the arena in a chariot pulled by four gleaming chestnut horses. He watches her for a moment; she pushes the horses for speed, then pulls them up sharply before pushing them on again. Over and over she does this until they stop and start the second she asks them. The animals are wound up into a lather of sweat, dancing on the spot when they are pulled up, waiting for her command to go. She gives the signal and they take off in a cloud of dust and thundering hooves, and the Doctor is impressed, a smile coming to his lips as he watches, and wonders at her training them to be so obedient in such a way…

“No, no, no,” he says, realisation suddenly dawning. He runs over to her when she pulls them up again.

“Doctor!” She says in surprise, as if only just realising he’d been there.

“What are you doing?” He pants as he reaches her.

“Training the horses,” River says, like it’s obvious.

“For war,” he says. “You’re training them for battle.”

“Well,” she says, “They’re war horses.”

“But… these were for Livia?”

River avoids his eyes but shrugs. “She doesn’t want a chariot anymore. No sense in good horses going to waste.”  
“I wonder why,” he says, a little bitter, and River huffs and rolls her eyes. He narrows his own at her. “There’s something more to this.”

River looks away, shifting where she stands in the chariot. “Aha! There is! I knew it. What’s going on, River?”

“Nothing sweetie.”

“River,” he says, and she sighs again, rubbing a hand over her forehead.

“Macedonia.” She says, finally.

“What?”

“You were right Doctor. They do pose a threat.”

Although it’s an abrupt turn in their conversation, he brightens at that. “So you're going to let me go? Take out their ships?”

She shakes her head. “It’s… a slightly bigger threat than you could deal with honey.”

“What do you mean?”

“My scouts have returned. “They have... thirty.”

“Thirty…?”

“War galleys, Doctor. And from what I’ve heard an army of twelve-thousand and counting.”

He lets that sink in. “Oh dear.”

“They’re planning to attack. They want their freedom - I may be able to smooth things over and get them back under control without a war but I need to prepare for one just in case.”

“You’re sending an army, then.”

She nods. “We can’t get there by sea. I have five ships. Rome can’t afford to build _two_ more just yet let alone twenty. I’m going to go through Moesia.”

He shakes his head. “But Rome doesn’t own Moesia. There’ll be an uproar over an army marching through!”

River pauses. “Hence the training.”

Realisation dawns and settles in the pit of his stomach. “You want to conquer it.”

“It’s the only way -”

“No it's not,” he frowns.

She sighs, rubbing her forehead. “It's not, no. But it makes the most sense. It’s a modest country, they have a weak army and are unlikely to put up much of a fight - to be honest they’ll be glad of Rome’s rule if they have any sense. I hear half their people are in poverty.”

“War never makes the most sense!”

“Not to you, no, but we can’t all live by your ideals sweetie -”

“It’s not _ideals_ River! You’re talking about conquering an innocent country simply because it’s between another you need to get to - people will _die_ , no matter how swiftly you get them to surrender - if they even do - innocent people are going to die!”

“Innocent people are going to die here in Rome if I don’t!” She shouts back, and he realises his voice had risen thought his last exclamation.

He glares at her a moment, both of them breathing hard and angry. “There has to be another way.”

“Well - by all means come up with one that results in the least destruction to my empire and I’ll be all ears.”  

“Can’t you just _ask_ ,” he snaps. “Just ask them to pass through!?”

“Oh yes,” she says, like he is a particularly stupid child, “They’ll love that after Tertius’s attempt of an attack on them two years ago - oh yes you tried to blow our capital city to pieces a couple of years ago but sure! Bring your entire army through our country to take back the one next door to us!”

He makes a noise of frustration. “Are your generals even bloody up to it!? I know Regulus has pulled himself together a bit now and he’s good in a fight but - the other two? They don’t even have any experience in a battle let alone conquering an entire country! What if you’re sending them and your entire army off to their deaths!?”

She sighs, frustrated. “I’m not… I’m not _sending_ anyone anywhere Doctor. You’re right they’d never manage without me.”

“Without -” His stomach turns over. “You are not going!”  
“I _am_ going - you don’t tell me what to do!” She snaps.

“I’m your husband!”

“I’m the empress!”

He clenches his jaw, “And I guess this makes it clear which one you hold more value to.”

River’s mouth opens in shock. “Don’t you _dare!”_ She fumes, “I _left_ all of this for you - how dare you say that!” She throws her whip at him; it hits him in the side of the face and after yelping he picks it up and snaps it in two, throwing it to the dirt before whirling and stalking off.

River watches him go, fuming so her hands tremble with the reins. Turning the horses round, she trots them back towards the stables, shouting for somebody to fetch them as soon as she is near enough. She jumps down from the chariot as soon as a few men rush over to take the horses from her, angrily yanking the gloves from her hands as she stalks back towards the palace. A man catches up to her; it’s one of her advisors, clearly waiting in the stables for her return. “Your highness!”  
“Not now Gallus,” she snaps.

“Are… you alright your highness?” He falters. “You look… upset?”

She huffs, refusing to let the Doctor get to her like this. She wipes a hand over her face. “Yes, fine. What is it you wanted?”

She half listens to him rattle on about some problem with one of the city’s water wells, promising to send someone down this afternoon to look into it. Maybe she’ll send the Doctor down, she thinks with dark amusement. With a bit of luck he might fall in.

“Is that all?”

“Yes.” She nods to dismiss him then remembers a thought she’d had earlier - before the Doctor had distracted her. “Oh - Gallus. I want to hold a party for the army to enjoy. They've worked hard, they deserve a reward. Tomorrow night, arrange a feast - make sure the generals are invited first, they can spread the word to the troops."

"Your majesty, while I agree a celebration would be good for morale, tomorrow night is short notice to arrange something on such a scale... perhaps the night after would be better?"

"No," she shakes her head firmly. "Tomorrow."

The rest of the day does not improve much; it is long and dull - she ends up going to check on the well problem herself since everyone around the palace was busy with other tasks and she couldn’t find the bloody Doctor anywhere. She finds it blocked up by a cave in further back in the city walls - so that meant more funds the city really couldn’t part with would need to be thrown into its repair. On the way back to the palace she is accosted by men angry at their impoverished lives - which she of course gets the blame for. It’s nothing she can’t easily fight off and she has them thrown into a cell to sleep of the liquor she could smell on them but all in all, it doesn’t add up to a great day.

She is surprised, therefore, when she walks into her chambers that evening to the last thing she expected. She stops short in the doorway, blinking at the darkened room lit only by a few candles on the table, two dinner plates and goblets sitting there in the light while the Doctor poured out wine.

“What’s this?” She asks with some trepidation as she shrugs her cloak off.

He looks up at her, setting down the jug. “A peace offering.”

She quirks an eyebrow. “Are we at war?”

He shrugs. “We have been a bit, of late.”

She watches him carefully for a moment, and her eyes sweep over the table before they soften, and she crosses the room to stand before him. “I suppose we have,” she says.

He gestures to the table. “I cooked!”

“You cooked?” She laughs then, letting him pull out a chair for her and sitting down.

“Yes - frightened the kitchen staff a bit, I think,” he says and she laughs again, then gasps as she takes the lid off the plate.

“Is this -!?”

“Your favourite stew? Yep,” he says, looking proud of himself as he sits down across from her.

She lets the warm smell of it fill her nostrils, and for a moment it’s as if they are back in one of the tiny houses they’d lived in while they’d been away. Or around one of the many campfires. Just him and her… well, usually...

“Where are the children?”

“Fed. And with Serra. Livia’s teaching her how to write.”

River laughs.

“I expect she’s doing a marvelous job of it, too,” she comments.

He smiles at her from across the table, and gestures to the food. “Let’s eat.”

They tuck into their meals, and it’s as good as River remembers. “Mmm,” she hums, swallowing a mouthful with her eyes closed. “I’ve missed your cooking.”

“I haven’t missed yours,” he comments, and she throws a carrot at him.

“Well you’d better hope we stay here then because you’re not getting another meal cooked for you again now.” She’d meant the words at a joke, but sees his hand pause in pouring out more wine, and looks up quickly, opening her mouth to take it back.

“Let’s not talk about that. About any of it,” he says before she can speak, setting down the jug and reaching across the table to take her hand. “Just for tonight… let’s just be… us.”

“Just us?”

“You and me,” his eyes search hers. “Not… the empress and…”

She relaxes, and gives him a soft smile. “Okay.”

\--

After dinner they drink more wine, and flirt and flirt until River tugs the Doctor into bed and they make love. And as she breaks apart underneath him with his name on her lips, he knows that they will be alright.

“Sorry for throwing a whip at you,” he hears her mumble, some time after as she draws lazy patterns on his skin with her fingertip.

“Shh, not talking about it,” he reminds her.

“Still?”

“Nope.”

“Fine,” she sighs, draping herself over him. He lets his hand smooth softly over the skin of her bare back. Warm and still slightly damp with sweat.

“It’s funny isn’t it,” she says after a moment.

“Hm?” He asks, roused from his peaceful state.

“Us.”

“Funny?”

“The way we ended up.”

He frowns, confused. “Together, you mean?”

“Mm,” she replies. “Sometimes it feels like a lifetime ago… and sometimes it feels like only yesterday.” She lifts her head then to look down into his eyes. “That we were here in this very bed.”

His hand pauses on her back. “Hm. Although I’ve grown considerably more experienced since then,” he points out, and she grins.

“That you have.” She trails fingers down his abdomen. “Whereas _I_ … was always experienced,” she quips, letting her fingertips flirt with the hair at the base of his stomach.

“Well - not _always_ ,” he says, and she rolls her eyes.

“Of course not _always_ , always, but - a long time before _you_ , honey,” she teases, touching her nails lightly to his length and smirking when his hips jump before resting her hand on his stomach. She props her chin on her arm.

“I can still remember that first time like it was yesterday. _Your_ first time.”

“Alright, alright,” he grumbles, pinching her side lightly. “Not one of my finest moments.”

She laughs. “Oh but you made up for it wonderfully.”

“And have been continuing to make up for it for eight years since.” He lets his hand trail down over her backside, giving it a squeeze and gaining another smirk from her before she rests her head again.

He thinks on her words as they lay there in the quiet, and a question springs to mind. It’s something he’s wondered before, but never wanted to ask, but now, since she’d brought it up, curiosity burns at him until he relents.

“River?”

“Hm?”

“Will you tell me about your first time?”

She sighs, and it is a long moment before she answers. “It’s… not a story you’d like to hear, sweetie.”

He peers down at her in the dark, watches her carefully avoiding his eyes and realises that it’s a story she doesn’t want to tell.

“Okay,” he says softly, stroking his fingertips lightly over her back.

“I’ll tell you about my other first time though,” she says brightly a moment later.

“Huh?”

“My first kill.”

She smiles up at him and he frowns. “Definitely not a story I’d like to hear.”

“Oh.” She actually seems to deflate a bit, laying back down and he sighs, wondering at her having him so wrapped around her finger as he relents.

“Tell me then.”

She looks up at him with a smirk and he rolls his eyes as she shifts onto her stomach to prop herself up on her elbows. “Well, we were training one day... they’d been trying to get me to deliver the final blow for weeks, and I knew I was ready but… I didn’t want to just kill some random soldier who was just doing his duty like they would have me do. I knew my first kill was something I’d remember forever and I wanted it to… _mean_ something.

The Doctor thinks how twisted that is, and opens his mouth to tell her but decides against it, not wanting to break this spell of openness. She doesn’t talk about her past often and when she does it’s usually with some hesitation that he understands is due to the trauma he knows she must have suffered growin up. He wonders at _this_ being the topic she can speak freely about.

"How old were you?" He hardly dares to ask instead.

"Young," she hedges, continuing quickly. "So I managed to pin the soldier I was sparring with, and they were both shouting at me to finish it, to spill his blood -”

“They?”

“Oh - _her_ and one of her generals who she had training me. His name was Davus. He was a huge, brute of a man. Awful, he had such a temper - the kind of man who would beat me for missing a step during training. The amount of lashings I’d had from him…”

His chest aches. “River…”

“Shh I’m just getting to the good part,” she waves off his concern. “So, I’d managed to disarm the soldier I was fighting and I was pushing him backwards and Davus - he was yelling at me, telling me to finish him, telling me I’d never be anything if I couldn’t do it, that I was a coward and threatening to have me whipped again, and…” Her eyes sparkle in the candlelight as she smirks. “I turned round and shoved my sword into his stomach. I will never forget the look in his eyes as he lay on the dirt, I waited, I just let him look at me for a moment, standing over him with my sword and knowing that I was about to end his life. Then I slit his throat.” The Doctor flinches. “To this day I’ve never seen anyone as shocked as that man seconds before I killed him,” she laughs.

“It’s not funny River.”

“It was funny,” she chuckles. “You should have seen their faces!”

He rolls away from her, turning his back. “I don’t find murder a laughing matter in any context.”

“Oh so you don’t think he deserved to die? Beating a child who was only every trying her best to do things that should have been impossible anyway?”

“I... didn’t say that,” he mumbles. “I just don’t find it funny.”

He can feel her staring at his back with what he knows is frown - he can practically feel her gaze boring into him and he stubbornly refuses to turn round, not wanting to look at her right now.

“Fine,” she says after a moment, “You want not funny I’ll tell you about my other first time then.”

“You don’t have to -”

“There was a party, half the army was there, I don’t even remember what it was for now, some ceremony or battle victory or something - they threw a lot of parties, all the same - usually ended up in brawls and bloodshed,” She talks quickly, matter of factly.

He looks over his shoulder at her. “You don’t have to tell me, River.”

“Faustus was there, he wouldn’t leave my side all night and I knew - I did know what he was planning, he’d been dropping hints for a while by then and he’d drank a lot that night.”

“River -”

“So when he grabbed me in the middle of the camp I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop him - he was fully armed and I was in some flimsy dress - and I wasn’t about to humiliate myself in front of the army by trying, so, I pretended I wanted it -”

He has rolled back to face her now, “You don’t have to tell me this River, please -”

She pushes away the hand on her face, sitting up in bed with her back to him. “I let him pull me down onto his lap and strip my dress off and touch me… I can remember so clearly him whispering that I should let everybody see how beautiful I was, that I was going to rule over all of them and one day every man on earth would want me… I remember feeling proud for a brief moment… then he pushed me forward, onto my hands and knees -

“River, stop -”

“And when he teased me, telling me not to cry or something stupid I told him to shut up and fuck me like a man… and so he did.”

The Doctor’s throat goes dry when he tries to tell her to stop again and he can only listen in horror as she continues to speak.

“It hurt like hell… but I didn’t let it show, and I fucked three other men that night - just to prove I wasn’t his. I could barely move for days afterwards.”

“River,” his voice cracks on the word and she whips her head round to peer down at him.

“Are you crying!?”

“No,” he scrubs at his eyes.

River lays back down next to him, hand on his face and eyes soft now. “Sweetie… you don’t need to feel sorry for me, I’m fine. I _was_ fine. I was just as tough back then as I am now,” she quips. “And Faustus… I mean, he was high up, not an official rank more of a… a priest to Mars, I suppose you will - the entire army looked up to him. Including me. So it wasn’t like I thought I had anything to be upset about at the time. The pain was the worst part, honestly. I didn’t care about the rest. It was just something I knew was going to happen at some point.”

The Doctor pulls her into his arms, wishing he could go back in time and save her younger self from the horrors she’d been subjected to. He didn’t know how old she had been, but he knew she was pregnant by fifteen so he didn’t dare ask.

“Sweetie it’s fine,” she chuckles softly into his shoulder, fingers combing through his hair, “The first time wasn’t the worst anyway.”

“What was the worst?”

“Do you really want to know?”

He freezes a bit, mouth suddenly dry, and he can’t answer. She sighs, tucking her head beneath his chin. “A little while after… they wanted me stronger and better quicker than I was improving. They… decided that any soldier who beat me during training… got to have me.”

He sucks in a sharp breath. “River…”

“It was a way of humiliating me for losing I suppose.” She lets out a bitter laugh. “It worked - it only happened four times. After the fourth I didn’t lose again.”

He holds her to him tightly, stomach in a knot.

“Don’t cry again,” she says after a beat.

“I’m - I _wasn’t_ crying.”

She lifts her head, giving him a soft gaze. “I’m fine.” She says firmly, dismissively. “Look at me. Just as fine now as I was back then. I don’t even remember crying. Just being… _angry._ ”

“It…” he says, throat dry, and clears it before continuing. “That must have affected you - how… how could anyone be _fine_ after something like that.”

“It affected my fighting,” she admits softly, looking down at her hand as she draws absent circles on his chest. “When I first came to the throne I couldn’t train with my army for a long time… because I couldn't leave anyone alive.”

He doesn’t have the words to reply.

“Anyway, ultimately it was a good thing; I figured out pretty quickly after that how to use sex as a weapon to get what I wanted. I could keep control whereas I found out that men…” She sneaks a hand down his body to let her fingers stroke over him, “Are pretty rubbish at that when it comes to sex.” She squeezes him to make her point and he chokes a bit as his body responds. She laughs lowly, letting her nails trace lightly over his length - before her hand is gone and she’s smirking up at him, eyebrow raised to punctuate her point.

He clears his throat, getting his thoughts in order as he rolls his eyes at her. “That’s how you killed Faustus,” he remembers, and she nods.

“Yep. It was so easy.”

“Not a bad way to go,” he comments after a long pause, and his attempt to lighten the mood works when she lets out a bright laugh, and slides on top of him, straddling his hips, and her hands go to his wrists to pin them to the bed beside his head.

She looks down into his eyes with a gleam in her own and he wonders how many men _have_ died like this; between these very thighs that encase his hips - and he wonders at those thighs so firm yet soft around him, at the gentle pressure of her hands against his wrists, the light brush of her nipples over his chest and the loving caress of her lips against his when she leans down for a slow kiss. He wonders - not for the first time - that it was _he_ she chose to love.

“I didn’t _choose_ to love anyone,” she rolls her eyes, pulling back from him and he realises he had murmured the words out loud against her lips. She sighs. “I’ve told you this before. It just happened.”

“Alright - well you don’t need to look so upset about it,” he teases, pinching her again and she smiles.

“I’m not honey.” She leans in for another kiss, this one longer and deeper. “Far from it.” She kisses him again, letting this one stretch out until they are both relaxed against each others bodies, and she releases his wrists and slips her leg over him to tuck herself back into his side, laying down with a content hum.

His chest is still tight from what she had told him, and he feels a bit sick in his stomach. She’s fine - he believes what she says, knows her well enough by now to tell when she was lying to save his sensibilities, and he didn’t think she was. But she hadn’t wanted to talk about it in the first place so he knew the memories must be more painful to her than she was letting on.

“I think I prefered the first story,” He tells her after a moment and she nods.

“Me too,” she says softly. “So you see, there was never any hope for me.” Her voice sounds sad and he pulls back to look into her eyes.

“What do you mean?”

She shrugs. “My life was nothing but darkness for such a long time. Is it any wonder I became the person I am?”

Frowning at her, he shakes his head. “River… the first time they made you kill - you didn’t want to take someone’s life who didn’t deserve it, even with all that brainwashing and  - and training.” He looks deep into her eyes. “That proves there was _always_ goodness inside you. And - and after - that... other stuff you told me. Winning the fights in training meant killing your opponents?"

A frown on her face, she nods. 

"You didn't want to kill," he understands, and thinks he understands  _her_ a bit more. Awful as it was, he is so glad to have learnt what he had that night. He smiles at her, hand reaching out to place on her chest, right over her heart. 

" _This_... has always been good." 

She tilts her head at him curiously. “You really think so?”

He nods.

She bites her lip. “But I have since,” she says quietly. “I have killed… so many who didn’t deserve it.”

He swallows and looks down. “I know.” Then after a moment he finds her eyes again, and holds them. “But no more?” The question holds more weight than either would admit to out loud, and River takes a moment before answering, when she does it is with her own eyes holding his.

“No more,” she promises.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your lovely words last chapter. I was feeling disheartened and considered giving up and I told myself if ten people still wanted me to continue I would... and exactly ten of you did haha. So here we are. Please do let me know what you think, I can't do this on my own.  
> <3


	20. Chapter 20

“What are you doing?”

River looks up from the pile of hay she’d been throwing into a stable to frown at Regulus. “You’re late.”

“Busy morning,” he says vaugley, motioning at the pitchfork in River’s hand. “What are you  _ doing? _ ” He repeats. “You’re the empress!”

“So?” She rolls her eyes. “That doesn’t make me above feeding my own horse after she’s worked hard for me. Does it girl?” She says softly to the grey mare now munching on the pile of hay. She claps her on the neck before letting herself out of the stable and handing the pitchfork to a stable hand. Regulus snorts. 

“It kind of does actually. Or  _ should do _ .”

River ignores him, rolling her eyes at him again. Truth be told, years ago she would have agreed with Regulus, and she was certainly never to be found down in the palace stables when she was on the throne before, but honestly she’d sort of missed the work since she had been back. Her and the Doctor usually kept at least one if not a couple of horses over the years and with no slaves or stable hands around that left them to do everything for the animals for themselves, and River had hated looking after them much less than she’d imagined she would. The physical side was good for strength and fitness and she found their presence calming, to just be around them in quiet moments, to listen to their content munching and know they were happy after a hard days work. 

“So why are we here?” Regulus demands and she is dragged back to the present. 

“Your swordplay is improving,” she says. “I thought we’d test out your horsemanship today, see what your fighting skills are like mounted.”

“Sounds good,” he shrugs. “And I think you’ll find they’re just as good. If not better, actually.”

River rolls her eyes. “We’ll see.”

“Yes you will. I can ride anything.”

“Is that so?” She quirks an eyebrow at him before motioning to the stable hand in one of the stalls. 

She nods with her chin at a black horse towards the back of the stables. “Not that one. Saddle Striker up.”

“Striker?” Regulus snorts at the name. 

“Don’t stand too close to his front legs,” she tells him sweetly. “You’ll find out how he got that name.”

When the lad leads the horse out of the stable, the snorting black animal takes it upon himself to back up River’s claim, lashing out sharply at Regulus with a front leg when he tries to take him from the boy. 

After leaping back, startled, Regulus clears his throat, straightening his armour in an attempt to cover up his blunder. “Young, is he?” He says, and River nods. 

“Think you can handle him?”

“Please,” he rolls his eyes, snatching the horse’s reins for himself, this time from a safer distance. “I can handle anything.”

\--

When the young stallion has thrown Regulus for the third time and River has had her fill of amusement, she jumps down and helps him off the floor again, handing him the reins of her own, calmer mount. He snatches them from her irritably, pushing her aside to hoist himself into the saddle, grumbling, “Not very sporting mother, giving me a horse that’s barley even broken.”

Ignoring the way he’d addressed her, she grins at him before quietly jumping up onto Striker’s back. The horse fusses underneath her, jittery and skittish and she smooths a hand over his sweating neck. “Oh he is broken,” She tells Regulus. “He’s quite well trained actually. He’s just… hot. Not everyone can handle a horse like this. You need to be relaxed; he doesn’t like tense riders.”

“I am not tense,” he snaps and River just smiles.    
“Shall we go again?”

She’s ridden Striker many times before but she can tell Regulus has wound him up as she canters circles in the middle of the court. The animal is jumpy and on edge, feeling like a coiled spring beneath her. She talks softly to him, sitting quietly and making sure not to pull on his mouth which she knows he hates but it doesn’t seem to calm him this time and she sighs. She wants to accuse the young soldier of upsetting him but she knows it’s her own fault for putting him on him in the first place - she knew he was too arrogant to be able to handle a horse like this; it was why she had done it. 

“Ready when you are,” Regulus calls over, and she ignores him for a minute, riding a few more circles and changes of pace to try and settle Striker down before giving up with a sigh. 

“Fine, let’s go,” she calls out, drawing her sword. “Same as before, nice and steady.”

They ride towards each other, Regulus aiming to disarm her and River to to block his attempt like she’d instructed. But Striker leaps forward when she asks him for a trot and instead breaks into canter, gaining speed with every stride. River tries to slow the pace using her seat and voice but the horse isn’t listening to her like he usually would and instead gets faster, and faster, and then throws his head down ready to buck and she is forced to haul it up with her reins before he can throw her - after Regulus’s harsh hands this sends him into a frenzy and all of this happens mere seconds before she draws level with Regulus, completely loses control and has to drop her sword to grab both reins just as she sees Regulus’s sword coming towards her - 

\--

The Doctor is buried in a pile of parchments, quill in hand when she slinks into her chambers, cloth still pressed tightly to her head. 

He glances up and she gives him a sheepish smile. “Hello sweetie,” she says quietly, closing the door behind her. 

“Hello dear,” he answers, clearly distracted as he looks back down. “Good afternoon?”

“Mm hm,” she says, walking over to the table. “Umm… might need you to look at something.”

“What’s that?”

She doesn’t answer, waits for him to finally look up from his scribbling, properly look at her and double take at her blood soaked hair and battle tunic, flying to his feet. “By the gods River! What happened!?”   
“Um, small accident,” she admits, letting him take the cloth away from her head. 

“Shit!” He swears, pressing it back to the wound. She feels more blood trickle down her neck. “Hold that there - press hard! I need to - I need water and, and - here, sit - don’t move! Keep the pressure on that!” She lets him maneuver her into a chair and sighs as he rushes round their quarters in a panic. 

“Will you calm down sweetie, it’s not that bad - you know head wounds just bleed a lot.”

“You know head wounds wouldn’t happen if you  _ wore your damn helmet!”  _ He shouts at her as he throws things out of a cupboard, looking for his medical supplies. She winces as a bronze jug clatters across the floor. 

“The physician already cleaned it,” she says, ignoring his outburst. “He thought it needed stitches.” She glances up at him. “I’d rather you do that if it needs to be done.”

“What happened!?” He demands, coming back to the table with bowls and cloths and box of medical supplies. “What’s this from?”   
“Sword,” she says quietly and he freezes a bit, she watches his face pale and sighs. “I’m  _ fine _ , honey. Barley caught me. It’s just a surface wound.”

“A  _ sword _ , River!? You could have been killed!”

“But as it happens, I wasn’t,” she points out, then hisses as he peels the cloth away again and prods at it gently. 

He swears again. “Shit, it’s deep.”

“That’s what I said last night.”   
She feels his hands falter a bit and manages to smirk through the pain. 

“This is not the time for jokes!” he snaps and she sighs. 

She falls silent as she lets him dab at it, scrunching her face up as it stings and snapping at him to be careful. 

“I’m gonna have to cut this side of your hair off.”

“ _ What!?”  _

She looks round when he doesn’t answer to see him grinning at her and she reaches round and smacks his arm. “You just said this isn’t the time for jokes!”

“I couldn’t resist,” he chuckles. “I do need it out the way while I clean it up - here, hold it up.”

She bundles the half of her hair he hands her up over her head, feeling the stickiness of the blood that was matted in it and sighs, knowing it will take forever to get out. 

“It’s stopped bleeding,” he says when he’s done. “Looks fairly clean… I think it’s best to leave it open actually. You need to be careful not to knock it though - and sleep on your other side.”

She nods. “Whatever you think honey,” she replies, quite glad she needn't go through the pain of having it stitched up. 

There is a knock at her door as the Doctor is cleaning the supplies away and she calls out for whoever it is to enter. 

Regulus steps into the room, looking uncharacteristically nervous as he shuts the door and wrings his hands in front of him.    
“How is it?”

“I’ll live,” she sighs. 

“It’s not deep?”

“Deep enough,” says the Doctor. 

Regulus pauses. “I feel terrible.” He says, and River sees the Doctor whirl to glare at him.

“ _ You _ did this?”

“Well, yes but I -”

“Don’t flatter yourself Regulus,” River cuts in. “If I hadn’t lost control of the damn horse you never would have gotten near me.”

“You were riding?” The Doctor says with disapproval, frowning and pausing to waggle a finger at her. “This is the second time you’ve been seriously injured training on stupid horses that aren’t ready - why can’t your trainers ride them first!?”

“Second time?” She thinks for a moment. “Oh gods sweetie - that was an age ago. I’d forgotten that even happened. I wouldn’t exactly call that a serious injury honey.” She turns to Regulus. “He’s so melodramatic.”

Regulus raises his eyebrows. “What happened?”

“Oh - this horse I was training with a spear spooked and threw me - spear went into my hand.”

“Ouch,” he comments.

The Doctor waggles his finger at her again. “You could have been killed if it was your chest instead of your hand.” 

She rolls her eyes. “It was just a little splinter.”

Marching over, the Doctor grabs her hand, pulling it out and holding it palm up for Regulus to see the large white jagged scar in the middle of her palm.

“Nice,” he comments, and River snatches her hand back with a glare at the Doctor. 

“Almost as good as the one on my leg,” the young soldier proudly pulls his boot off for them to see the long rough scar running from his knee to his ankle.

River frowns. “Scars aren’t something to be proud of Regulus,” she tells him. “They mean you  _ failed _ .” He appears to deflate a bit at that, smug smile dropping from his face as she shoves his foot back into his boot. 

She sighs. “Thank the gods my hair will cover this one. I can’t imagine it will be pretty.”

“Yes well maybe it will teach you to wear your bloody helmet in future,” The Doctor grumbles on his way out of her chambers with the bowl of bloody water. 

“Gods he’s annoying,” Regulus snorts when the door closes behind him. “How do you put up with that?”

“He just fusses because he cares,” River sighs, and ignores Regulus when he makes a gagging sound. 

“Don’t you have somewhere you need to be?” She says pointedly. 

“Suppose so.” He fidgets a bit. “And… you’re sure you’re alright though?” 

“Nothing I can’t handle.”

He hesitates. “There was so much blood…”

River raises her eyebrows at him. “Oh, were you worried about me?” She teases. 

“Of course not,” he says quickly, clearing his throat. “Just… thought my chances of inheriting the throne would be considerably less had I killed the beloved empress.”

“Oh I don’t know,” she snorts. “It’s how I got the throne after all.” She gives him a look. “Don’t get any ideas.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he rolls his eyes. 

“Seriously though… I’m glad you’re alright. I really didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Careful Regulus - I’m gonna start thinking you care.”

“Only about my future.”

“Mmhm,” she rolls her eyes. 

“Although…” he says, and smirks at her. “Guess you proved your ‘horsemanship skills’ aren’t better than mine after all.”

She scowled at him. “I have ridden that horse a hundred times with no problems whatsoever.  _ You _ wound him up!”

“Mhm, sure.”

“You’re more than welcome to come and watch me ride him again some time,” she says, “I’m going to have to fix the mess you’ve made of his poor nerves now. Probably set him back weeks of training.”

“You can’t be considering getting on the horse that did that again!” The Doctor says as he re-enters her chambers to hear the end of the conversation. 

“The horse didn’t do it sweetie, Regulus’s sword did,” she tells him, then lets out a yawn. 

“Are you tired?” The Doctor asks urgently. 

“Only from training,” she rolls her eyes. 

“You’re not going to sleep,” he worries. “Not until I’ve made sure that’s not worse than it looks.”

“Guess you’ll have to find some way to keep me awake then,” she teases, and Regulus clears his throat and excuses himself. 

“I’ll see you at the party later?” River says to him before he leaves. 

“Party?”

She frowns. “Weren’t you told? Gallus told me all the generals had been invited this morning.”

“Oh - well they might have been. I was out.”

“Out?” She frowns. “Out where?”

“Just… out.”

“Out  _ where _ ?” She demands. 

“Out… from the night before alright?”

“Regulus,” she sighs. “You’re in charge of nine hundred men. You need to stay in the barracks - you can’t just go swanning off whenever you fancy and stay out the whole night and half the next morning!” She shakes her head. “Don’t make me regret giving you your rank; I’m counting on you to be more responsible than that,” she lectures. 

“Hang on - there’s a party tonight?”

“Yes - did you hear what I just said?”

“Yes, yes, responsible blah blah, no fun, blah blah…”

“Regulus…” She growls. 

His eyes slide to the Doctor then back to her and he hides a smile, ducking his head. “I’ll see you at the party tonight then.”

\--

The Doctor had tried to keep River quiet that night, insisting that a noisy, boozy party was possibly the worst thing she could do for a head wound, but his pleas fell on deaf ears, and predictably, he finds himself in a crowded hall full of people - mostly soldiers who it turned out were unsurprisingly more than a little rowdy once the drinks started flowing. 

He pours out two goblets of wine muttering to himself, disgruntled, before turning to make his  back across the hall to where his wife is seated on her throne. He pauses as he looks over at her; she sits up straight but relaxed in her seat, arms draped over the sides and legs crossed, moving her foot to the rhythm of the music as she watches the dancers who have just entered the hall. There is a content smile on her lips and a golden crown of leaves woven into her curls which are tumbling down around her shoulders. She looks every bit at home and the Doctor suddenly feels every bit out of place. 

Throat suddenly dry, he sees her eyes scan the room; she was always watching, he had noticed that about her. Always aware and the larger the crowd the more alert she was - he supposed that’s what made her a good ruler. Her eyes land on something and fix there for several moments, and when he follows her line of sight he frowns to find that it is Regulus she is watching with that intent gaze. He glances back and forth between them, keeps thinking she will lose interest and look away but she does not, and the frown on his face deepens. 

_ Why is she looking at him like that? _

Somebody approaches and says something to her and her attention is diverted but only for a moment - the man walks away and River is watching Regulus again and the music can’t drown out the ringing in his ears. River looks away and catches the eye of one of the dancing girls and waves her over with a bejeweled finger. She says something into the girl’s ear and he watches with eyes narrowed curiously as the dancer moves gracefully across the room and over to Regulus, sinking down into his lap. 

_ Interesting. _

Realising he’s being utterly foolish and his thoughts are ridiculous, he finally moves over to his wife, handing her a goblet of wine as he sits down in his own seat next to her. 

“Enjoying the entertainment?” She asks with a smirk. 

He shrugs. “I’d enjoy it more if it were you dancing.”

She smacks his arm as he chuckles. 

“What er… what was that about?” He motions to Regulus, now seeming to be thoroughly enjoying the sole attentions of the dancer. 

“Oh - just a little reward. You know, for finding the assassin a few weeks ago.”

He frowns. “You already gave him a horse.”

“So?”

He holds his hands up, shaking his head. “Nothing. Just surprises me how quickly he’s earnt your favour. You didn’t like him at all when you first met.”

She huffs, rolling her eyes. “We’ve been over this Doctor; I believe in him - he has a lot of talent as a fighter and a good head on his shoulders. I just didn’t see that straight away.”

“A  _ big  _ head on his shoulders,” the Doctor counters, and River sighs. 

“He’s a bit cocky, I’ll give you that.”

“A  _ bit _ is the biggest understatement of the century,” he mumbles, watching the young general grab the hand of another girl while the first dances on his lap and pull her to him too. 

“Hmm,” River comments, watching him with amusement and a hint of something else he can’t name in her eyes. 

“You had me worried a bit there,” he says before he can stop himself. 

She looks at him, confused. “What?”

“Well.” Now he’s started talking he wishes he hadn’t. “It’s just… you seem to be spending more time with Regulus than me lately. I was starting to think he might be taking my place.”

River chokes on her mouthful of wine. “Oh gods sweetie, no. No!” She says when she’s finished coughing. “No. He… he’s a boy!”

The Doctor rolls his eyes. “Hardly River. And you don’t exactly look your age.”

“Sweetie - !”

“I know, I know.” He sighs. “Just me being stupid wasn’t it?”

“A bit honey, yes,” she chuckles. “And you are  _ so wrong _ .”

“Can you blame me?” He grumbles, embarrassed. “He’s a good looking young man.”

“ _ Young _ being the key word there,” River replies, and shakes her head firmly. 

He doesn’t reply, and after a moment hears River give a sigh. She sets down her drink and gets up, moving over to him and sliding down onto his lap. He feels himself relax a little at the weight of her, hand dropping to her thigh. She was heavier now, noticeably so, and he knew it was pure muscle; she’d been training harder than ever before and while she’d never been unfit over the years, now every inch of her was toned and firm - and  _ strong _ . His insecurities prickle at him. 

“What’s going on sweetie?” She says softly, combing her fingers through his hair. “You’ve never been the jealous type.”

“I know.” He sighs, dropping his head to her neck. “I’m sorry dear,” he says, lips gliding over her collarbone. “It’s just… for years we were… you were just…” He struggles to explain himself.  _ “My wife _ . And now… now you’re the bloody empress of Rome.”

“Again,” she reminds him gently.

“Again, yes, but it was different before.”

“I’m still your wife now,” she reminds him. 

He lifts his head to look into her eyes. “But you’re also the most powerful woman in the world.”

“Thank you,” she preens, flashing him a grin he can’t return. He sighs, turning his face into her neck again. 

“Sometimes I feel very inadequate.”

“Sweetie,” he feels her sigh. “Come on. You’re being ridiculous. You know I love you.”

“It’s just… I watch you fighting sometimes. And you’re  _ amazing _ \- stronger and faster than anyone else - your entire army worships you - the entire  _ city _ bloody worships you. And there’s all your soldiers and generals and they’re all strong and brave and - and…” He struggles to explain himself and feels sillier the more he goes on. “I just… feel  _ less _ . I don’t know - like there’s so many more worthy -”

“Okay that’s enough,” she says firmly, cutting him off with a hand on his face. “If you seriously think I would prefer some jacked up soldier with more muscle than brain over  _ you _ , you don’t know me very well after all these years.”

She’s annoyed. Of course she’s annoyed, he chastises himself, but can only grumble, “You were just going on about how clever Regulus is.”

“ _ Enough _ with Regulus!” She snaps. “You have it so _ , so wrong _ honey.  _ Please _ put that out of your head.”

He sighs. “It’s just different now. Now that we’re here.”

River thinks for a moment before replying. 

“Yes it’s different,” she says voice softer now, “But I’m always going to choose you. When we were here before it was all exactly the same as this,” she reminds him gently, turning his face up to hers. “And I still chose you.”

She leans down and kisses him and he realises how ridiculous he really is being. He kisses her back, winding an arm around her back to pull her flush to him, the other stroking over her thigh in an apology. Her tongue brushes softly against his lips and he parts them for her, revelling in her soft moan as her hands slide into his hair to keep him pulled to her, and this, he thinks, this is all that matters; her soft and warm against him, kissing him deeply because in a room full of people and distractions, that’s where she wants to be. 

His fingers trace circles on her thigh as her tongue slides against his own, and he feels her moving on his lap, then her small hand covers his on her thigh and she guides it down and beneath the silk material of her dress, gathered in her lap. His fingers flex instinctively on her soft strong thigh, and he lets her guide his hand higher, beneath the silk of her skirts and round between both thighs until she pushes his fingers between her folds where he finds her hot and wet like liquid silk. 

He slides his middle finger down into her heat - how can he not - and she breaks from his mouth to sigh, her mouth open and breath hot on his lips and her eyes burning into his own. He lets her fingers coax his into a steady rhythm against her and cannot help but groan when her eyelids flutter and she draws in a sharp breath. 

“Your highness?” He hears the voice behind them and goes to move her away but River’s hand presses his firmer against herself, and she twists on his lap, sliding a leg over his so she is straddling him, back to whoever had tried to get her attention in a very clear message. 

He should care, he thinks somewhere through the fog of  _ River _ in his brain, that they are very much in view of hundreds of people and his fingers are - he pushes them and draws another gasp from her - buried deep inside her. Deep inside the empress. 

The thought sends a thrill shooting through him that he cannot deny, heightened by the insecurities he’d had fresh in his mind. She was the empress, yes - but she was also his wife and it was he who she wanted. 

She grinds against his palm and they find a rhythm, his fingers stroking inside her, tongues duelling as the music drones on behind them. He feels her quiver around him and she parts from his mouth to gasp, her fingers tightening their grip - one hand in his hair the other fisted in his toga by his shoulder as he quickens his movements. 

“Don’t stop,” she breathes against his ear, “Please don’t stop.” And if he is honest with himself he would give her anything in that moment - he’d give her his very life if she asked for it, so wrapped up in her pleasure that he barely registers his own until he feels his body tighten in sync with her inner walls clenching around his fingers, her hips grinding against his and his hand trapped between them. 

She comes seconds later and it’s almost a surprise when he is right there with her, riding out her waves of pleasure as she gasps by his ear. 

Withdrawing his hand, he subtly wipes his fingers on the material of his toga as he strokes his other hand over her back as she leans against him, turning her head for another kiss before pulling back to smirk at him. 

He rolls his eyes at the smug look on her face and she plants another kiss on his lips before sitting back on his thighs and leaning down beside her for her drink. She takes a swig from the goblet and glances down at his lap and bites her lip before brining her mouth back to his ear. 

“You might want to go and get cleaned up sweetie.”

“Right, yeah,” he says, clearing his throat, ears pink as she smirks at him. “Thanks for that.”

“My pleasure,” she purrs, before slipping gracefully off his lap with a wink. She saunters off into the crowd with her drink and where he knows he should feel embarrassed, he can only feel like the luckiest man in the room.

\--

River weaves through the crowds, drink in hand, intent to enjoy a bit of this party now her husband’s insecurities had been thoroughly seen to. 

_ Daft man, _ she thinks to herself fondly with a shake of her head. She stops to exchange pleasantries and accept compliments, allowing a couple of the dancers to circle her for a moment but shaking her head with a laugh when they try to get her to join them. 

Her eyes land on Regulus as he makes his way over to her, already more than slightly unsteady on his feet by the looks of it. 

“Your highness!” He says. 

“Enjoying yourself then?” 

"It's my birthday," he grins.

"Is it?" River smiles, bringing her cup to her lips and taking a sip.

His grin widens. "This is for me."

"Don't be silly. What business would I have throwing my generals birthday parties?"

"Your generals, none," he says, and she smiles, patting him on the shoulder as she walks past him.

"Enjoy the party."

She spots Atilius and two of her other generals along with some soldiers sitting around a small table and she wanders over. 

“Having fun boys?” She greets them, leaning an elbow on the shoulder of one of the men sitting by her. 

“More if you’d join us,” says the young soldier, the drink in his hand clearly making him bold. He pats his lap. “Take a seat?”

River snorts. “In your dreams.”

Atilius swiftly gets up from his chair, motioning to it and River sits with a smile as he leans over and smacks the soldier round the head. 

“That’s your empress boy!” He reminds the lad who rubs at his head, looking disgruntled. 

“Apologies your highness,” he mumbles and River waves him off. She glances at the coins and dice scattered on the small table in front of them. “So who’s winning?”

She plays for a little while, long enough to lose the gold bracelet on her wrist which she hands over with a sigh before deciding to observe the game instead. She leans back in her seat content amongst her soldiers, and reaches down beside her chair for her drink again and that’s when the whole room lurches and and spins and she has to catch herself on the arm of the chair before she topples off. 

Shaken, she gets unsteadily to her feet. “Excuse me boys,” she mutters, hurrying away and over to the banquet table by the wall. She clutches the edge of it, breathing hard and trying to will the room to stop spinning. What was happening? Why did she suddenly feel like she couldn’t even stand up straight?

She should get some water, she decides, and makes towards it before the room spins violently again and she has to flail her hands out to grab the table to keep from falling. She shakes her head, trying to clear it but the whole room is whirling and whirling and she feels sick, and out of control and heart pounding, she stumbles from the room, away from the party and the crowds and into the hallways. 

She only makes it up three stairs before tripping and falling and can’t manage to get her body to get herself to her feet again. Her head is fuzzy as well as spinning and she  _ can’t think clearly _ \- all she knows is that she is very,  _ very  _ drunk - and she also knows that she did not have that much to drink. 

Panic starts to creep in between the fuzziness - she’s only half aware of where she is, she feels like she’s going to lose consciousness and she is completely, totally vulnerable in her current state - and River hates to be vulnerable. 

“Your highness?”

Was that a voice? Maybe if she just lay down she could think a bit clearer. 

“Your highness??”

She realises she  _ is _ laying down, and drags herself into a sitting position, shaking her head a bit and trying to focus on the person in front of her. They’re small and she feels a bit of relief - probably a slave boy or girl. She’s still spinning and when she realises she can’t even make out the child’s face the panic grips at her chest again like a vice. 

“The Doctor,” she gasps out. 

“Your highness? Are you well?”

“Doctor - now!” She growls. “ _ Now!” _

Footsteps scampering off, and she wants to lie down again - but she is alone and she doesn’t even have any weapons on her and and she  _ must not _ lose focus. She drags herself to lean against the wall, leaning her head back and staring up at the ceiling - watching it spin and spin and feeling her heart pounding faster and faster. 

She doesn’t know how long she sits there but it feels like an eternity until she finally hears her husband’s voice. 

“River!?”

Every fibre of her being is flooded with relief, and then he is at her side, and she reaches out for him blindly. 

“Gods… head wound… told you -!... rest…”   
She only gets bits and pieces of what he’s saying but manages to shake her head. 

“ _ Not _ my head,” she tells him firmly.    
“It’s not? What is it? River - River what’s wrong!?”

She shakes her head again. 

“What’s happened?” She feels his hands on her face. “River, you’re scaring me!”

“I feel… I feel  _ drunk _ ,” she manages. 

“But  - you hardly drank anything!”

“I know...”

“...Poison,” she hears him say in horror and gives a small nod. 

“Think so.”

She can feel his hands all over her - checking her wrist, her neck, one on her forehead and over her heart in a panicked flurry and she bats him away with a frown. 

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she slurs. “I just - just need to get upstairs. Safe. Somewhere safe. I can’t…”

“Right, yes, upstairs,” he says. “Can you walk?”

She nods and lets him drag her to her feet. She leans on him heavily as he helps her unsteadily up the stairs. 

“I don’t like this,” she admits in a small voice, trying not to think about how much the stairs are spinning and how sick it’s making her stomach. “I can’t… can’t think clearly.”

She thinks he murmurs some words of comfort, his arm steady around her but she can’t focus on what he’s saying through the fear that’s coursing through her.  _ Who, who, who, why, what do they want, why, who, who…” _

“Who?” She finally hears him say when he nudges her and she nods. 

“Didn’t want to kill me,” she slurs. “Be dead by now.”

“I know. Clearly just wanted you incoherent. I’m not even sure it’s poison you’re not showing any signs - maybe just a potent alcohol.”

She takes in half of what he says, and nods. 

She hates this, she  _ hates it _ . This is the exact reason she never drinks enough to lose her senses - she feels completely out of control of her body, and her mind feels foggy and sluggish. She knows she needs to be alert - somebody had done this to her and there had to be a reason - but she knows she  _ is not _ alert, nor can she make herself be, and that sends fear coursing through her. She clings to the Doctor and is relieved when they finally reach their floor. 

“We’re here,” he says gently, leaning her against the wall beside the door, which she slumps against as she blearily watches him take the key out to unlock the door. 

There’s a pause. “It’s open.”

“What?”

“The door. It’s unlocked.”

Her eyes widen. “Fuck…”

“Wait here,” he tells her, easing the door open. Panic grips her. 

“No! Don’t! Don’t - Doctor!” He’s gone and she blinks at the open door, shaking her head. He’s gone inside and there could be  _ anyone _ in there and  _ no, no, no!  _ Clinging to the door frame, River stumbles into their chambers. 

What happens next happens so fast it doesn’t even feel like it’s happening to her. She just sees the Doctor standing there in the dark amongst their overturned chambers and her entire being goes into defense mode - and she sees a figure approaching him - and - and even in her half-coherent state her instincts are stronger than her mind because she’s flown across the room, grabbed a vase from the table and smashed the figure over the head with it before she even makes the decision to react. She’s realises she’s on the floor, and she can hear the Doctor’s urgent voice - panicked, yelling - he’s nearby, saying something over over and over… She thinks she hears her name but she can’t make sense of anything else he’s saying, doesn’t know what’s happened and can’t even remember where she is now… why was she on the floor? There’s a broken vase by her head and her hand is bleeding, she remembers throwing it, remembers having to save the Doctor… and just before she passes out she turns her head and see’s Serra’s lifeless eyes staring right through her own.

\--


End file.
